US calls Iranian demand to end nuclear probes ‘unreasonable’

UNITED NATIONS: The United States on Friday rejected Iranian requests regarding the revival of the nuclear pact made a day earlier, calling them "unreasonable."

Iran said on Thursday it saw no point in reviving the deal without guarantees the United States would not withdraw again and unless UN inspectors close probes of Tehran’s atomic program.

Ianian President Ebrahim Raisi said at the United Nations General Assembly, "What is the use of having a revived deal without assuring guarantees that the US will not violate again?" Speaking to reporters, a senior US State Department official rejected putting pressure on the IAEA to close those investigations unless Iran provides satisfactory answers.

"In a nutshell, we’ve hit a wall because of Iran’s position, and I think their position is so unreasonable in terms of what they’re asking for with regards to the IAEA probe into the unexplained presence of traces of uranium particles," he said. The 2015 agreement limited Iran’s uranium enrichment activity, making it harder for Tehran to develop nuclear arms, in return for lifting international sanctions.