Iran turns off two IAEA cameras at nuclear sites

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India have abstained from voting on a resolution against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

In the meanwhile, Iran has turned off two cameras at one of its nuclear sites declaring that they were operating beyond the safeguards agreement between Tehran and the IAEA. Tehran has reminded that more than 80pc of the existing cameras of the UN nuclear watchdog that operate under the safeguards agreement will remain intact. Iran has also begun installing advanced IR-6 centrifuges at its underground enrichment site in Natanz and plans to add two more cascades to it. The actions are conspicuous in view of IAEA’s 35-nation board resolution condemning Iran, passed the other day. Iran was condemned in it for its failure to provide an explanation on technically-credible evidence about the detection of nuclear traces at three undisclosed locations. It also issued a call to Iran to comply with its legal obligations, referring to the agreement on safeguards for its nuclear program that Tehran signed with the IAEA. Iran has condemned the resolution with its acting envoy to the IAEA Mohammad Reza Ghaebi saying his country will take "appropriate measures" and reserves the "right to review its policy and approach toward the agency."

Pakistan, Libya and India abstained from vote on the resolution that slammed Iran. China and Russia opposed it which was sponsored by the United States, the UK, France and Germany. Thirty countries voted in favour of the resolution, drafted by the US, the UK, France and Germany. India had earlier voted against Iran in 2005, 2006 and 2009. The resolution slammed Iran for its lack of cooperation with the global community on the nuclear issue. The voting took place while Iran’s foreign minister was in India for a meeting with his Indian counterpart. Many analysts view Indian abstention from voting as a result of this visit. India’s abstaining from voting is another example of its differences with the US on major international issues.

Well-placed diplomatic sources told The News from IAEA headquarter in Vienna on Saturday evening that the chances of restoration of nuclear deal of Iran with six countries called as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) were brightening. China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — negotiated the agreement alongside Germany. As per the deal, Iran’s has to reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium by 97 percent besides capping its number of nuclear centrifuges and devices used to enrich uranium. Iran has to stop from operating its Arak facility used to make plutonium that could fuel a bomb. Iran will have to permit wide-ranging and intrusive IAEA inspections designed to verify that it isn’t cheating on any portion of the deal. The basic gist of the deal was that the sanctions would be lifted in exchange for Iran agreeing to several serious restrictions on its nuclear development.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Vienna between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties – China, Britain, France, Russia and Germany – to revive the agreement. Talks have been stalled since mid-March. The sources reminded that in May 2018, US President Trump announced its decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.

The IAEA said Iran has reported it is removing 27 surveillance cameras from its nuclear facilities. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said late Thursday that the move would be a “fatal blow” to the prospects of reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Iran’s move comes a day after the IAEA board meeting on Wednesday. He stressed that Iran did not carry out any secret and unregistered nuclear activities.

Grossi said more than 40 surveillance cameras would remain operational in Iran following the country’s latest move. Iranian officials dismissed the reports.