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Monday, March 4, 2024
As nuclear watchdog meet begins, diplomats say West avoiding serious confrontation with Iran
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A quarterly meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog’s main policy-making body began with Western powers again choosing not to seriously confront Iran over its failure to cooperate with the agency on a range of issues, diplomats say.
It is more than a year since the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution ordering Iran to cooperate with a years-long IAEA investigation into uranium particles found at undeclared sites, saying it was “essential and urgent” for Iran to explain the traces.
Since then the number of undeclared sites being investigated has shrunk from three to two but the list of problems between the IAEA and Iran has only grown. Iran failed to fully honor an agreement to re-install IAEA cameras at some sites and in September barred some of the agency’s most valued inspectors.
“I… deeply regret that Iran has yet to reverse its decision to withdraw the designations for several experienced Agency inspectors,” director general Rafael Grossi tells the meeting.
“Only through constructive and meaningful engagement can all of these concerns be addressed and once again I call upon Iran to cooperate fully and unambiguously with the Agency.”
Israel has long warned it will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.