Iran, IAEA Still at Odds Over Uranium Traces Inquiry

The IAEA says it won't close the investigation

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is still at odds with Iran over an investigation into traces of uranium at undeclared Iranian nuclear sites.

The inquiry has been open for years, and while there’s no proliferation risk, the IAEA has not been happy with Tehran’s explanations. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said Monday that the investigation is “not going to go away.”

Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami dismissed Grossi’s concerns and said that the IAEA inquiry was based on false information. “The agency must refrain from relying on false, baseless information,” he said.

Eslami suggested that the IAEA’s investigation was based on evidence planted by Israel. “There are no undeclared nuclear activities or material in Iran. All accusations are merely based on fake and incorrect information provided by the usurping regime of Israel,” he said.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that Tehran was willing to work with the IAEA on the issue but said the nuclear watchdog needs to behave “technically” rather than politically.

“The agency has questions about three alleged sites that they say they have found uranium, and we are ready to provide answers to those questions,” Amir-Abdollahian said.

Iranian officials have said that the IAEA needs to drop its inquiry before the nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, could be revived. But an agreement seems unlikely as the US has accused Tehran of not taking the negotiations seriously and continues to increase sanctions on Iran.

Negotiations between the US and Iran have stalled, although Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said last week that Tehran was willing to continue negotiations and questioned Washington’s commitment to the process.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.