Iran's Atomic Authority Describes IAEA Inspection Increase as Expected
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Tehran, Dec 14 (NationPress) The head of Iran's atomic organization expressed on Saturday that the recently announced escalation in inspections by the United Nations nuclear watchdog concerning the country's nuclear sites is a logical progression, influenced by Tehran's enhanced capacity for uranium enrichment.
Mohammad Eslami, who serves as the president of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI), made these comments in reaction to a report issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday. The report disclosed that Iran had consented to more rigorous monitoring at its Fordow facility located in the central province of Qom, following an increase in its uranium enrichment to levels as high as 60 percent purity, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Eslami stated, "When we engage in nuclear operations and handle nuclear materials, a shift in scale will naturally necessitate a change in monitoring levels. This is both evident and expected. We have expanded our (uranium enrichment) capabilities, and it is to be expected that inspections would also increase."
He assured that Iran is fully compliant with the IAEA regulations and emphasized that there would be no hindrances to the agency's monitoring efforts, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
On November 21, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted a resolution urging Iran to enhance its cooperation with the agency and provide a "comprehensive" report, thereby pressuring Tehran to resume its nuclear discussions. In response, Iran declared the activation of a "considerable" number of new "advanced" centrifuges.
Iran reached a nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with several major nations in 2015. This accord imposed limitations on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from sanctions.
However, the U.S. government, under former President Donald Trump, unilaterally exited the agreement in May 2018, reinstating sanctions and leading Iran to reduce certain commitments in its nuclear program.
