TEHRAN: UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi is expected in Tehran later Friday for discussions with officials after his agency’s inspectors in Iran found uranium particles enriched to just under weapons-grade level.
The visit by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency comes with the Vienna-based organization seeking to get Iran to increase cooperation over its nuclear activities.
A confidential IAEA report said uranium particles enriched up to 83.7 percent — just under the 90 percent needed to produce an atomic bomb — had been detected at Iran’s underground Fordo plant about 100 kilometers south of the capital.
Tehran denies wanting to acquire atomic weapons, and last week said it had not made any attempt to enrich Uranium beyond 60 percent purity, noting that “unintended fluctuations... may have occurred” during the enrichment process.
The discovery came after Iran had substantially modified an interconnection between two centrifuge clusters enriching uranium, without declaring it to the IAEA.
The IAEA tweeted on Thursday that Grossi would “travel to Tehran for high-level meetings at the invitation of Iran’s government.”
Iran’s Fars news agency said the IAEA director general would arrive in Tehran on Friday evening ahead of meetings planned to be held on Saturday.
A diplomatic source said that Grossi would also meet President Ebrahim Raisi to “relaunch the dialogue” on Iran’s atomic work and to “reset the relationship at the highest level.”
The IAEA chief’s visit comes amid deadlock in negotiations on reviving the 2015 deal that promised Iran relief from biting economic sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities.
These restrictions, including the 3.67 percent enrichment threshold set out in the deal, were intended to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
However, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 under then president Donald Trump and reimposed sanctions, prompting Iran to suspend the implementation of its own commitments under the accord.
Negotiations aimed at reviving the deal — known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA — started in 2021 but have been stalled since last year.
Grossi’s visit is being seen in Iran as another indication that a diplomatic approach to resolving the nuclear standoff is possible.
“It is hoped that this trip will form the basis for greater cooperation and a clearer horizon between Iran and the IAEA,” said Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in an interview with CNN that “the window for an agreement on negotiations to lift sanctions is still open, but this window will not be open for ever.”
Depending on the outcome of Grossi’s trip, the United States and the E3 — European powers Britain, France and Germany — will decide whether submit a draft resolution censuring Iran to the IAEA board of governors, which is due to convene next week in Vienna.
In November 2022, Iran was criticized for its lack of cooperation regarding traces of enriched uranium found at three undeclared sites.
Grossi’s last visit to Iran took place in early March 2022, and was focused on the three undeclared sites.
The IAEA said Grossi would hold a news conference upon his return to Vienna late Saturday afternoon.
UN nuclear chief heads to Iran after near weapons-grade Uranium find
https://arab.news/ct58y
UN nuclear chief heads to Iran after near weapons-grade Uranium find
- A confidential IAEA report said Uranium particles enriched up to 83.7 percent — just under the 90 percent needed to produce an atomic bomb
- Grossi would also meet President Ebrahim Raisi to “relaunch the dialogue” on Iran’s atomic work
Macron calls on Israel, Iran and Hezbollah to prevent Lebanon being embroiled in conflict
- French president insists Hezbollah must disarm and hostilities stop at moment of ‘great danger’
- Announces military vehicles for Lebanese military, and aid for those displaced by fighting
LONDON: Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called on Israel and Iran not to embroil Lebanon in the conflict sweeping the Middle East.
The French president made his plea as panic swept through Beirut after Israel ordered residents to evacuate the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital and three villages in Lebanon’s eastern Beqaa region.
Macron said he had drawn up a plan to end hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah, which included providing military aid to the Lebanese army.
“Everything must be done to prevent this country, so close to France, from once again being drawn into war,” Macron said.
“At this moment of great danger, I call on the Israeli prime minister not to expand the war to Lebanon.
“I call on Iranian leaders not to further draw Lebanon into a war that is not its own.”
Earlier on Thursday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asked Macron to “intervene with Israel to prevent Beirut's southern suburbs from being targeted.”
He also urged the French president to help bring about a “ceasefire as soon as possible,” according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency.
The US and Israeli attack on Iran has led to a resumption of fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
Israel bombed what it claims are Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s suburbs and southern Lebanon, killing more than 100 people and displacing at least 80,000. Hezbollah launched rockets across the border in response.
The evacuation order for vast areas of southern Beirut has raised fears that Israel is preparing for a devastating attack on the Hezbollah stronghold that would further drag Lebanon into the conflict.
Macron said he had spoken to President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Lebanese leaders “to establish a plan to bring an end to the military operations currently being carried out by Hezbollah and Israel on either side of the border.
“Hezbollah must immediately cease its fire toward Israel, he said. “Israel must refrain from any ground intervention or large-scale operation on Lebanese territory.
“The Lebanese authorities have given me their commitment to take control of the positions held by Hezbollah and to fully assume responsibility for security across the entire national territory.”
France will provide the Lebanese Armed Forces with armored vehicles and “operational and logistical support,” Macron said.
Several tons of medicine, shelters and other assistance are being sent from France to help with the tens of thousands of people fleeing southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese military has worked to remove Hezbollah's weapons in the south of the country as part of a ceasefire between the group and Israel agreed in November 2024.
As Israel and Hezbollah resumed outright hostilities this week, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam took further measures against the group, banning its military activities and demanding the group hand over all its weapons.
Macron also insisted the group must disarm to “respect the national interest, show that it is not a militia taking orders from abroad, and allow the Lebanese to come together to preserve their country.”
