IAEA calls on Iran to permit facility inspections in Isfahan region

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran has stored most of its highly enriched uranium at an underground tunnel complex at its Isfahan facility. According to a report circulated to IAEA members, the country is enriching uranium up to 60 percent, which is a short step away from weapons-grade purity.

The report also states that the IAEA’s inspectors do not know the precise location of a fourth uranium enrichment facility in Isfahan, which Iran claimed to be setting up prior to last year’s 12-day war. The agency observed “regular vehicular activity around the entrance to the tunnel complex” using satellite imagery, indicating the presence of enriched uranium.

The IAEA is urging Tehran to allow inspections at the Isfahan site, citing concerns over its lack of access to the facility. This comes as the US and Iran engage in indirect talks mediated by Oman in Geneva, which yielded no breakthrough on Friday.

Iran’s stockpile of more than 400kg (882 pounds) of 60 percent enriched uranium remains uncertain, with the IAEA last observing it on June 10. The agency is discussing the issue at a quarterly meeting of its 35-country board next week in Vienna.

US and Iranian negotiators will also meet in Oman-mediated technical teams in Geneva, where they are expected to discuss technical points related to extracting the 440.9kg (972 pounds) of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent. The IAEA is aware that Iran’s facilities pose a challenge for inspections, with satellite imagery showing “a lot of work around the facilities” but no clear access.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Friday that the US should stop its “excessive demands”, without specifying what those demands are. The US has requested Iran to dismantle its nuclear infrastructure entirely, limit its arsenal of ballistic missiles, and stop supporting regional allies.

Source: Al Jazeera