UN watchdog chides Iran on 2nd nuclear deal breach

The head of the UN atomic watchdog criticizes Iran after a second minor breach this year by Tehran of the 2015 nuclear deal with major powers.

A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency last week showed that Iran’s stock of so-called heavy water had inched above the level agreed under the landmark accord. Heavy water, a modified form of normal water, is used in certain types of nuclear reactors.

“Iran has since made preparations to transfer a quantity of heavy water out of the country,” which will bring it below the ceiling, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano tells the agency’s board.

“It is important that such situations should be avoided in future in order to maintain international confidence in the implementation” of the deal, he says.

The July 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers states that Iran’s “needs” are estimated to be around 130 metric tons of heavy water.

— AFP