US Ambassador Criticizes Iran for 'Disruption' of IAEA Activities

Laura Holgate, the US Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), criticized Iran's actions that have 'weakened' the agency's ability to ensure the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program during a session on Wednesday, November 22. She stated, 'We are seriously concerned about the Director General's conclusion regarding the weakening of the agency's ability to guarantee the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program.' Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the IAEA, has assessed that Iran's obstruction of the presence of some of the 'most experienced and specialized inspectors' of this UN body has caused a 'very serious blow' to the agency's activities in Iran. Earlier this year, the Islamic Republic informed the IAEA that it was in the process of removing the names of some inspectors who previously had inspection authorization in Iran. Holgate quoted the Director General, stating that Iran's failure to grant activity permits to experienced inspectors has had a 'serious impact' on the agency's verification activities. She added, 'Such actions have deeply counterproductive results, and we reiterate the Director General's request for Iran to refrain from disrupting the agency's inspections.' This US official considered Iran's removal of experienced inspectors following unannounced changes in advanced centrifuge cascades at Fordow earlier this year as a 'clear violation' of Iran's safeguards commitments. Holgate described this Iranian action 'after the identification of enriched uranium particles exceeding 80 percent by the agency at those sites, which is far beyond Iran's permitted enrichment level,' as a cause of heightened tensions. This US official emphasized that 'Iran must take actions that build international confidence, not undermine the agency's essential activities.' Uranium enrichment is at the heart of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, which enriches uranium to 60 percent, a level close to the approximately 90 percent purity required for nuclear weapons. According to Reuters, the Islamic Republic denies seeking nuclear weapons, but no other country that is not pursuing nuclear weapons has enriched uranium to such levels. A confidential IAEA report states that the Islamic Republic has enough uranium to build three nuclear bombs. Raisi defended uranium enrichment to levels close to weapon grade. A joint statement from France, Germany, the UK, and the US stated that Iran's actions are another step in the wrong direction. Grossi warned the Islamic Republic that failure to cooperate with the agency will have consequences.