IAEA chief confirms Iran complying with nuclear deal

The UN atomic agency chief affirms Iran’s commitment to a 2015 nuclear deal, in a statement that came as US President Donald Trump said Tehran was not living up to the “spirit” of the agreement.

“I can state that the nuclear-related commitments undertaken by Iran under the (nuclear agreement) are being implemented,” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano says in prepared remarks during a conference in Rome.

It adds that Iran “has not pursued the construction of the Arak… reactor” — which could give it weapons-grade plutonium — and has not enriched uranium above low purity levels.

The landmark deal was signed in July 2015 by Iran and five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States) plus Germany — establishing controls to prevent Tehran from developing an atomic bomb.

— AFP