UN nuke watchdog head meets officials in Iran

Dubai, March 4

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog was meeting with officials in Iran on Saturday, days after it was revealed that the country had enriched particles of uranium to near weapons-grade, raising new alarm over its long-disputed nuclear programme.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, declined to comment on his discussions during a press conference with the head of Iran’s nuclear programme, saying the delegation’s work was still ongoing. “It’s an atmosphere of work, of honesty and cooperation,” Grossi said. He was expected to speak with reporters again upon his return to Vienna later on Saturday.

Earlier this week, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency reported that uranium particles enriched up to 83.7 per cent — just short of weapons-grade — were found in Iran’s underground Fordo nuclear site.

The confidential quarterly report by the IAEA, which was distributed to member states on Tuesday, came as tensions were already high amid months of anti-government protests in Iran and Western anger at its export of attack drones to Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.

The IAEA report says that inspectors in January found that two cascades of IR-6 centrifuges at Iran’s Fordo facility had been configured in a way “substantially different” to what had been previously declared. The IAEA took samples the following day, which showed particles with up to 83.7 per cent purity, the report said.

The IAEA report only spoke about “particles,” suggesting that Iran isn’t building a stockpile of uranium enriched above 60 per cent. — AP