Grossi: Iran's High-Level Enrichment Activities Continue; No Plans to Meet with Behdarvand at the UN

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) states that Iran's high-level enrichment activities continue, but this does not indicate a "rush towards rapid" enrichment increase. Rafael Grossi, the IAEA Director General, on Monday, September 10, commented on the ongoing high-level uranium enrichment by Iran, saying that while the Iranian government is active in this area, these activities do not suggest a rush towards a rapid and massive increase in enrichment. He expressed hope to soon meet with Masoud Behdarvand, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to discuss improving relations between Iran and the IAEA. Grossi mentioned in a quarterly meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors that Behdarvand agreed to meet at a "suitable time." He expressed hope that the Iranian government would facilitate such a meeting in the "not-too-distant future" for a constructive dialogue that would "quickly lead to real results." In response to a question about whether his reference to "not-too-distant future" meant before or after the U.S. presidential elections, he said: "No, I hope it happens before that." The U.S. presidential elections are scheduled for Tuesday, November 7, this year. He also emphasized that he has no plans to meet with Behdarvand on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The IAEA reported on Thursday, September 8, in a confidential report that Iran has increased its enriched uranium reserves to a level "close to weapons-grade" in defiance of international demands. The report stated that the amount of 60% enriched uranium in Iran reached a total of 164.7 kilograms by August 18, 2023, which is an increase of over 22 kilograms compared to the previous report in April 2023. According to experts, converting 60% enriched uranium to weapons-grade 90% purity requires only "a short and technical step." The IAEA noted in its report that the Iranian government has not reconsidered its previous decision to prohibit IAEA inspectors from visiting its nuclear program, and the agency's surveillance cameras remain disrupted. In another part of the report, it was mentioned that on August 9, the IAEA requested access to centrifuge production facilities in Isfahan to service its surveillance cameras, but has yet to receive a response from Tehran. According to the IAEA report, Iran has still not answered long-standing questions about the origin and location of man-made uranium particles at two previously unreported sites named Varamin and Torqozabad. Following the recent government elections, Masoud Behdarvand stated that he would meet with Rafael Grossi at the appropriate time. Grossi had also visited Iran last May, but the death of Ibrahim Raisi caused negotiations to be postponed. The Islamic Republic has always claimed that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and has no desire to develop nuclear weapons. However, the IAEA and Western countries continue to express their concerns about Tehran's decreasing cooperation with the agency and the increasing nuclear activities of the Islamic Republic.