Iran warns European powers IAEA censure will ‘complicate’ nuclear talks
Al Jazeera
Tehran reportedly offers to stop expanding high-enriched uranium stockpile during visit by UN nuclear watchdog chief.
Tehran, Iran – Iran has warned three European nations against pursuing a new censure resolution against it at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) shortly after the head of the watchdog visited Tehran.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned efforts by France, Germany and the United Kingdom to pass their fourth resolution since 2020 at the United Nations nuclear watchdog’s board meeting on Wednesday.
“This move by the E3 is in clear confrontation with the positive atmosphere created in engagements between Iran and the IAEA, and will only make the issue more complicated,” Araghchi told his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot in a phone conversation, according to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The latest confidential reports by the IAEA to member states on Tuesday indicated that Iran has offered to not further expand its stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium, several media outlets, including the Reuters news agency and CNN reported.
Iran has already “begun implementation of preparatory measures” to cap the stock of the high-enriched uranium – which is close to the 90 percent weapons-grade enrichment needed for a bomb – at about 185kg (407 pounds), the global watchdog said, according to the leaked reports.
