DUBAI, January 17. /TASS/. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has nothing against the development of Iran’s nuclear program as long as Tehran continues to abide by its commitments, the agency’s Director General Rafael Grossi said.
"Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state which is enriching uranium at this very, very high level - very close to weapons grade," he told The National, a UAE-based newspaper, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland’s Davos.
He pointed out that Iran’s nuclear program "is galloping ahead, moving ahead with ambitious goals." "We have nothing against that. But we say the visibility of the international inspectorate, the IAEA, must be commensurate with those activities," Grossi added.
The IAEA chief noted that Iran was a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and "should abide by this commitment." According to Grossi, Iran continued to bar certain IAEA inspectors from its facilities based on nationality. "This is very, very counterproductive," he noted.
Reuters reported on December 26, citing an IAEA report, that Iran had stepped up the rate at which it was enriching uranium to up to 60% purity from three to nine kilograms per month. According to the IAEA, the rate at which Tehran enriches uranium up to 60% increased to approximately nine kilograms per month at the end of November 2023. Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, however, rejected the IAEA’s statements.
Grossi announced on September 17 that Iran had informed the IAEA of its decision to withdraw the accreditation of several inspectors assigned to inspect the country’s uranium enrichment facilities. According to the Fars news agency, eight IAEA inspectors lost their accreditation. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani pointed out that the US and three European countries had abused the authority of the IAEA Board of Governors for their political purposes. The diplomat added that Tehran would continue to cooperate with the agency under the existing agreements.