VIENNA: The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Wednesday that it would “never abandon” its attempts to get Iran to clarify the previous presence of nuclear material at several undeclared sites there.
Iran has said the closure of the probe is necessary in order to clinch a deal to revive the 2015 deal with world powers on its nuclear program.
However, on Wednesday International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi insisted that it would “never abandon a process... because of a political reason.”
“This is not how the IAEA works,” he told reporters at a press conference.
The IAEA has been pressing Tehran for several years for explanations regarding indications that nuclear material was previously present at four different locations in Iran.
While much of the activity concerned is thought to date back to the early 2000s, sources say that one of the sites, in the Turquzabad district of Tehran, may have been used for storing uranium as late as the end of 2018.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday that unless this issue is closed, “we can’t think of the possibility of an agreement about the return of the US” to the Iran nuclear deal.
Diplomats from Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran and Russia restarted talks in late November to revive the 2015 accord, also known as the JCPOA.
The US has been taking part indirectly.
The accord began disintegrating when former US President Donald Trump withdrew from it 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran.
This week is widely being seen as critical for the success or failure of the talks, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz saying Wednesday that a decision “cannot be postponed any longer.”
When asked by reporters what it would take for him to close the issue of the sites, Grossi replied simply: “Iran to cooperate with me” in the form of a “full process to clarify” outstanding questions.
He didn’t rule out a possible visit to Tehran soon in order to discuss the issue.
Russia’s ambassador to the UN in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said the negotiations were “one minute from the finish line” and that the war in Ukraine had not affected Russia’s co-operation with other participants.
“They need us very much,” Ulyanov said, adding: “Pragmatically they don’t want to spoil relations” on an issue of common interest.
UN nuclear watchdog will ‘never abandon’ Iran probe
https://arab.news/63rmh
UN nuclear watchdog will ‘never abandon’ Iran probe
- Iran has said the closure of the probe is necessary in order to clinch a deal to revive the 2015 deal with world powers on its nuclear programme
- On Wednesday International Atomic Energy Agency Director General insisted that it would "never abandon a process... because of a political reason"
In Bangladesh’s mangrove forest, villagers brave tigers to collect rare honey
- Honey is gathered from wild bee colonies deep in the Sundarbans
- Producers made a debut at the biggest food fair in Jeddah this month
DHAKA: When the harvest begins, Mizanur Rahman gathers a few hundred men and sets out into the mangrove forest along the Bay of Bengal, where for months they climb trees to collect by hand a wild natural honey whose unique properties are only starting to attract global attention.
The honey is collected from wild bee colonies deep within the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove reserve spanning parts of India and southwestern Bangladesh.
“Honey collection from this forest is mostly done in the Bangladesh part,” Rahman said. “All plants, trees, and the overall environment of this forest are natural. There is no human touch.”
Sundarban honey comes from an ecosystem where trees grow and bloom naturally, without the use of fertilizers or pesticides. Its collectors, known as mawalis, begin work in March for about three and a half months.
Rahman estimates there are about 4,000 mawalis in the local community. To enter the forest, they require special passes from the forest department.
“It’s a very risky job for the people who enter the forest,” he told Arab News. “It’s the only honey in the world where collectors risk their lives in the den of the mighty Bengal tiger to gather it. Sometimes, they also face the danger of poisonous snake bites.”
During the season, his team reaches up to 1,200 members who together manage to collect about 400 tons of honey.
“One hundred small boats start sailing together, each carrying eight to 10 people,” Rahman said. “Despite the dangers, it is a matter of pride to be part of these challenging tasks.”
Collected from a humid environment, Sundarban honey is thinner than other types. Its greenish-amber shade comes from the nectar of mangrove flowers, and the taste is less sweet than most commercial honeys, with a subtle citrus-like tanginess. The scent is mild.
Being raw and unprocessed, the honey retains more enzymes, antioxidants, and pollen.
“Some people can feel acidity similar to orange juice,” Rahman said. “It has a unique taste. If someone tastes this honey once, she or he will definitely love to taste it again and again.”
Well known locally in Bangladesh and parts of eastern India, where it has been harvested and consumed for generations, Sundarban honey is only starting to gain attention in organic and specialty food markets.
Earlier this month, it debuted at AgroFood Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s leading international exhibition for the agriculture, food, and agritech industries.
The organic honey from the Sundarbans received an encouraging reception, according to Mohammed Saleh Uddin Bhuyan, chief category officer at Ghorer Bazar, one of the companies participating in the expo.
“We have been receiving good responses from the local buyers,” he said. “Saudi Arabia is a very promising market for us.”
Bangladeshi authorities recognize the honey’s export potential but also the fact that production still needs to be standardized to enter global markets.
Mahmudul Hasan, director of Bangladesh’s Export Promotion Bureau, told Arab News that there are plans to promote the organic practices behind the honey during future food fairs in the Gulf region.
“There is huge export potential for our mangrove honey in the Gulf countries, as Arab consumers are fond of honey. They just need to be assured of the quality in the production process,” he said.
“Our mangrove honey is undoubtedly an organic product. It has unique value, but the world is not very aware of it yet.”
