IAEA Delays Talks With Iran, Rafael Grossi: They Are In Mourning Period

Rafael Grossi. (Twitter/@rafaelmgrossi)

JAKARTA - UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday that the death of Iran's President and Foreign Minister in a helicopter crash had delayed talks on increasing Iran's cooperation with the agency.

"They are in a period of mourning and I have to respect that," said Chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Grossi in Helsinki, as he spoke at a nuclear conference, reported by Reuters, May 22.

"But once this problem is resolved, we will take action again," he said, describing it as "a temporary disruption that I hope will be resolved in a few days".

Grossi further said that the IAEA plans to continue technical discussions with Iran but this has not yet happened, due to the helicopter crash last weekend that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

The IAEA faces a series of challenges in Iran, from Tehran's recent ban on many of the most experienced uranium enrichment experts on its inspection teams, to Iran's failure to explain traces of uranium found at undeclared locations, despite years-long IAEA investigations. year.

The IAEA has sought to expand its oversight of Iran's atomic activities, as the country's uranium enrichment program continues.

Iran itself is said to be enriching uranium to a purity level of 60 percent, close to 90 percent weapons-grade, which no country has ever done without developing nuclear weapons. Tehran says its aims are entirely peaceful.

Iran currently has about 140 kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent, Grossi said. According to the IAEA's definition, this is theoretically enough, if further enriched, to make three nuclear bombs.

The IAEA's last quarterly report in February said Iran had 121.5 kg, enough for two bombs.

Grossi also said that Iran still produces around nine kg of uranium per month enriched to 60 percent. Tehran is also enriching to a lower level, so it has enough material to potentially make more bombs.