Grossi Says He Discussed Iran's Nuclear Program with Putin

Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated on Thursday, March 15, that he has discussed Iran's nuclear program with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia. Reuters, citing the Russian news agency TASS, reported that Grossi met with Putin during his visit to Russia last week. Details of the conversation between Grossi and Putin regarding Iran's nuclear program have not been released at the time of this report. On Monday, March 6, Grossi presented a report at the Board of Governors meeting, highlighting the concerns of this UN oversight body regarding Iran's nuclear activities. He mentioned that 'although the level of enriched uranium up to 60 percent has slightly decreased,' the total stockpile of enriched uranium in Iran continues to increase. Grossi expressed 'deep regret' that the Islamic Republic of Iran has not yet changed its decision regarding the prohibition of activities of 'several experienced agency inspectors' and emphasized that Iran has been limiting the agency's access and has stopped implementing the Additional Protocol for three years. The IAEA Director General also pointed to the lack of any progress in 'resolving outstanding safeguards issues' and stressed that Iran has not provided 'credible technical explanations' for the presence of 'human-origin uranium particles in Varamin and Torqozabad.' Grossi referred to 'discrepancies in the nuclear material balance' of the Islamic Republic of Iran as another concern that requires further investigation by the agency, considering the resolution of 'remaining safeguards issues stemming from Iran's commitments under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement' as a prerequisite for the agency to assure that 'Iran's nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.' He stated, 'Only through constructive and meaningful engagement can all these concerns be addressed, and I once again urge Iran to cooperate fully and unambiguously with the agency.' On Thursday, March 8, the United States warned the Iranian government that continued 'obstruction' regarding cooperation with the IAEA would pave the way for further actions by the Board of Governors, including the possibility of issuing more resolutions against the Islamic Republic. The United States, during the quarterly Board of Governors meeting attended by its 35 members, called on the Islamic Republic to cooperate with agency inspectors who have been seeking explanations from the Iranian government regarding the origin of uranium particles at some undeclared sites for years. In a statement for the Thursday Board of Governors meeting, the United States declared, 'We believe we have reached a point where we and the international community must reassess how to respond to Iran's ongoing obstruction.' The statement emphasized, 'We cannot allow the current pattern of behavior of the Islamic Republic to continue.' The agency's report noted that the Islamic Republic 'for the first time' has reduced its 60 percent enriched uranium stockpile. The U.S. federal prosecutor's office has charged a 'yakuza' for attempting to sell uranium and plutonium to the Islamic Republic. Grossi criticized the Iranian government's 'worrisome rhetoric' and the continuation of high-level enrichment. The Director General warned that the Islamic Republic is 'not fully transparent' regarding its nuclear program.