Foreign Desk Report
VIENNA: The U.N. watchdog policing Iran’s nuclear deal with major powers admonished Tehran on Tuesday for failing to provide access to two undeclared locations or fully answer its questions about past activities there.
Media reported on Monday that the IAEA planned to issue a second report in addition to its regular quarterly update on Iran’s nuclear activities, rebuking Iran for less than full cooperation in general and for failing to grant U.N. inspectors access to one or more sites of interest.
“Iran has not provided access to the agency to two locations…and not engaged in substantive discussions to clarify agency questions related to possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities,” the second International Atomic Energy Agency report said.
“The director general calls on Iran to immediately cooperate fully with the agency, including by providing prompt access to the locations specified,” said the confidential report seen by Reuters.
The report added that Iran had informed the IAEA that it “will not recognize any allegation on past activities and does not consider itself obliged to respond to such allegations”.
The landmark 2015 nuclear accord, which lifted international sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear activities, has been unraveling since President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and imposed sanctions that have throttled Tehran’s oil exports.
