(Photo: AFP)
The United Nations (UN) nuclear chief said on Friday that Iran’s pledge not to build a nuclear weapon would require “very strong” verification as the US and Iran negotiate a permanent settlement to end the war.
Iran’s nuclear program is a major stumbling block in talks to end the war in the Middle East.
Iran and the US last week signed a preliminary agreement to end the conflict and begin negotiations that are expected to tackle several disputes, including the nuclear program.
However, there is conflicting information from Iran and the US about whether UN inspectors will have access to Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“I think the purpose of this agreement is to ensure that there is no development of nuclear weapons in Iran. The government of Iran has stated very clearly that this is not their intention,” Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Friday.
“But of course intentions are not enough. We need to have a very strong verification system in place … as soon as practicable,” he added.
Grossi said the UN nuclear watchdog had barely started talks with Iran after the deal with the US.
The agreement stipulates that the country’s stockpile of enriched uranium must be diluted under the supervision of the IAEA.
Before the war, it was estimated that Iran had 440 kg of uranium enriched to 60%, but the fate of this stockpile is unknown after the US and Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities last year.
Uranium enriched to 90% can be used to produce a nuclear bomb.
“Initial discussions have taken place,” Grossi said of his agency’s contact with Iran. “We expect that this work will soon gain momentum.”
Iran’s nuclear program has long been a source of tension with the West, which suspects Iran is developing a nuclear bomb.
Iran consistently denies these allegations and says it has the right to a civilian nuclear program.
Pres. Donald Trump of the US said on Tuesday that Iran had “completely and fully agreed” to allow UN inspectors to return to the country, while Grossi said on Wednesday that inspections of Iranian nuclear sites “are going to happen”.
However, Iran said this week that it had no intention of allowing the watchdog.
Iran signed a nuclear deal with six major countries in 2015 that put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, but Trump pulled out of the deal during his first term as president.
Grossi said an alternative to diluting the enriched uranium could be to move it out of Iran.
“It might be more complicated, but there are some technical alternatives to handle the material,” he said.
(Photo: AFP)
‘Nothing has improved’
The dispute threatens to derail efforts to reach a permanent settlement between the US and Iran after months of war. Another important point of contention is the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran closed the waterway during the war in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks, and its control of the strait has become an important lever in negotiations as the world economy suffers from energy shortages.
On Wednesday, an attack on a ship in the strait led the UN to suspend an effort to take trapped seafarers to safety. Many of them have been stuck on the water since the beginning of the war.
The British maritime safety agency UKMTO said a cargo ship was “hit on the starboard side by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the bridge”, but no casualties were reported.
Iran has also said it plans to impose charges for using the strait – a plan strongly opposed by the US and most Gulf countries.
Marco Rubio, who visited the Gulf on Wednesday, rejected the idea of tariffs, saying it would open the door to “total chaos”.
Rubio said the US wants a deal with Iran, but “we don’t want a deal at a price”.
In Tehran, meanwhile, residents told AFP that, despite diplomatic progress, there are so far no tangible benefits visible in everyday life.
“On the whole, nothing has improved,” said Amir (28), a civil servant. “Life has simply become more difficult.”
Mehdi (35), a content creator, said “until such changes are experienced in people’s daily lives, it is only natural that hope will be accompanied by doubt and that anticipation will give way to exhaustion and anxiety.”