The international agency denounces an “unprecedented” decision which “drastically” affects its ability to ensure the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program.
“One more step in the wrong direction” : the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced on Saturday September 16 that Iran had withdrawn the accreditation of several of its inspectors, responsible for controlling the Iranian nuclear program and guaranteeing its peaceful nature.
With this measure, which comes after another recent case, “Iran has removed a third of the central group” of experts, which “directly and drastically affects” the ability of this United Nations agency to carry out its mission, writes its director general, Rafael Grossi, in a press release.
If it is theoretically permitted by the agreements linking the IAEA to Iran, this unilateral decision is “disproportionate and unprecedented”insists the head of the agency, calling on the Iranian government to “reconsider your position” and to “to correct the shot”.
Iran says it is reacting to Western comments
Tehran explained that it had taken this measure in response to the warning launched by the United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, during the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna (Austria). . The latter threatened new sanctions in the face of “Iran’s deliberate refusal to collaborate with the agency”. A spokesperson for Iranian diplomacy denounced a breach of “the neutrality” of the IAEA.
Since the withdrawal of the United States decided by Donald Trump in 2018, the Islamic Republic has gradually freed itself from the commitments made within the framework of the 2015 agreement, supposed to limit Iran’s atomic activities in exchange for a lifting international sanctions. In 2022, discussions held in Vienna by the various stakeholders to revive this agreement failed.