“The (IAEA) Director General (Rafael Grossi) stresses that Iran’s decision not to allow Agency access to the TESA Karaj centrifuge component manufacturing workshop is contrary to the agreed terms of the Joint Statement issued on 12 September,” the IAEA said, as reported by Reuters.
IAEA, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, was denied access to the TESA Karaj centrifuge component manufacturing workshop but was granted all other access, the agency said in a statement, according to an AFP report.
IAEA reached an agreement with Iran on September 12 allowing the U.N. atomic agency to service surveillance equipment, less than a week after it issued a strongly-worded statement saying their monitoring tasks had been “seriously undermined" after Tehran suspended some inspections of its nuclear activities.
After Washington withdrew from the nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions in 2018, Iran steadily walked back on its obligations under the accord, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), boosting its enrichment of uranium and bringing more advanced centrifuges online.
In February, Iran suspended some IAEA inspections in response to the United States' refusal to lift sanctions on Iran and also limited access to monitoring equipment such as cameras.
Discussions to resume the deal were making progress earlier this summer but were suspended pending the inauguration of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in early August. More than a month into Raisi’s administration, the talks still have not resumed.
In August, both Washington and the European Union urged Iran to return to the Vienna nuclear talks. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Wednesday that time was running out after a scathing report by IAEA and signs from Tehran that plans for talks are distant.
During a session of the U.N. General Assembly last week, Raisi said that “fifteen reports released by the IAEA have attested to the adherence of Iran to its commitments. However, the U.S. has not yet discharged its obligation, which is lifting sanctions.”
While Iran is steadily improving its uranium enrichment capabilities, it has said on several occasions that its goal is not to develop a nuclear weapon.
