The Iranian flag flutters in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) in Vienna, Austria, May 23, 2021. REUTERS / Leonhard Foeger / File Photo
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- Only Russia and China opposed a resolution condemning Tehran
- Iran has warned of retaliation, a risk to negotiations on the 2015 deal
- Ahead of the vote, Iran announced the relocation of cameras on the IAEA board
- The Agency notified Member States of newly installed centrifuges
VIENNA / DUBAI, June 8 (Reuters) – Iran began further expanding its underground uranium enrichment and said on Wednesday it would turn off two of the UN’s nuclear surveillance cameras, as the organisation’s 35-member board adopted by an overwhelming majority. a resolution criticizing Tehran.
Only Russia and China opposed the resolution, presented by the United States, Germany, France and Britain, saying the Board of Governors was “deeply concerned” that traces of uranium found at three undeclared sites remained unexplained due to insufficient co-operation. country of Iran. He also called on Tehran to engage with the supervisory authority “without delay”. Read more
Iran has shuddered at such resolutions and warned in advance of retaliation, raising the prospect of further damage to the already stalled talks to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal.
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Just hours before the closed-door vote at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s headquarters, Iran announced a move that diplomats said was likely either a shot against more drastic action or limited early retaliation.
“Until now, the IAEA was not only ungrateful for Iran’s broad cooperation, but also considered it an obligation. As of today, the relevant authorities have ordered the surveillance cameras of the Online Enrichment Monitor (OLEM) to be turned off, “Iranian state television said, citing cameras trained in a machine that measures real-time enrichment levels.
However, the IAEA has not had access to data collected by such cameras or OLEMs for more than a year. The agency hopes to gain access to the data, which remains in Iran, at a later date. Read more
A European diplomat said the move was a “relatively modest escalation in the grand scheme of things, but perhaps an initial warning shot before the resolution was adopted”.
IMPROVED CENTRIFUGES
The IAEA later informed member states in a report seen by Reuters that Iran had begun installing a cascade or cluster of state-of-the-art IR-6 centrifuges at its underground enrichment plant in Natanz, a long-running plan that had not been in place for months.
Iran also told the agency it plans to install two more such cascades of uranium enrichment machines, which are much more efficient than first-generation IR-1 centrifuges, the only ones with which the 2015 deal allows Iran to enriches the Natanz plant. Read more
“Unfortunately, some board members do not understand the sensitivity of the moment, insisting on untimely initiatives such as a resolution against # Iran. “Obviously #ViennaTalks has taught them nothing: pressing Tehran is escalating,” Russia’s mission to the IAEA tweeted before the vote.
After Washington withdrew from the 2015 agreement under then-President Donald Trump in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Tehran violated many of the deal’s restrictions on its nuclear activities, including enrichment. It enriches up to 60% purity, close to approximately 90% of the weapon class.
Iran says its nuclear targets are completely peaceful.
“We are not taking this action to escalate a confrontation for political purposes. We are not seeking such an escalation,” a U.S. statement to the board said, adding that removing Iran’s cameras would be “extremely unfortunate and counterproductive to the diplomatic outcome.” we are looking for “.
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Additional report from Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Editing Mark Potter by Alex Richardson
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