Iranian FM stresses cooperation after watchdog report on rising uranium stockpile

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Iranian International Minister spoke by cellphone with the director of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog company early Sunday morning after a report from the company stated Iran is additional growing its stockpile of uranium enriched to close weapons-grade ranges.

Writing on Telegram, Abbas Araghchi stated he harassed Iran’s “continuous cooperation” in his dialog with Rafael Mariano Grossi, the pinnacle of the Vienna-based Worldwide Atomic Power Company. The IAEA didn’t instantly return a request for remark concerning the cellphone name.

The confidential IAEA report, which was seen by the Related Press on Saturday, raised a stern warning, saying that Iran is now “the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such material” — one thing the company stated was of “serious concern.”

Araghchi emphasised to Grossi that every one of Iran’s nuclear actions are inside the framework of agreements and being monitored by the IAEA. The IAEA stated in a separate report that Iran’s cooperation with the company has been “less than satisfactory” on the subject of uranium traces found by IAEA inspectors at a number of places in Iran that Tehran has didn’t declare as nuclear websites.

Araghchi additionally requested Grossi to make sure “that certain parties do not exploit the agency for political agendas against the Iranian people.” European nations may take additional steps towards Iran primarily based on the great report, resulting in a possible escalation in tensions between Iran and the West.

Iran’s deputy overseas minister on Sunday revealed an in depth response, rejecting most of the report’s findings. Kazem Gharibabadi famous that out of the IAEA’s 682 inspections of 32 states, 493 have been carried out in Iran alone.

“So long as a country’s nuclear activities are under the IAEA’s monitoring, there is no cause for concern,” he stated. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is neither pursuing nuclear weapons nor does it possess any undeclared nuclear materials or activities.”

The IAEA report stated that as of Might 17, Iran has amassed 408.6 kilograms (900.8 kilos) of uranium enriched as much as 60%.

That is a rise of just about 50% because the IAEA’s final report in February. The 60% enriched materials is a brief, technical step away from weapons-grade ranges of 90%.

The cellphone dialog between Araghchi and Grossi got here hours after Omani International Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who’s mediating the U.S.-Iran talks, visited Tehran on Saturday to current the most recent U.S. proposal for ongoing talks.

The U.S.-Iran talks are trying to restrict Iran’s nuclear program in trade for the lifting of among the crushing financial sanctions the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic, which have strained relations for nearly 50 years. The fifth spherical of talks between the U.S. and Iran concluded in Rome final week with “some but not conclusive progress,” al-Busaidi stated on the time.