SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Iran dismisses nuclear programme criticism: ambassador
Vienna, March 8 (AFP) Mar 08, 2023
A top Iranian diplomat insisted Wednesday that the Islamic republic was willing to cooperate over its atomic programme, even as western powers slammed a "dangerous nuclear escalation".

In a weekend trip, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi received Iranian assurances on its intentions following the discovery of uranium particles enriched to near weapons-grade level.

"There are many things to do in the coming weeks and months toward addressing issues of common interest, for that Iran is very much willing to work with Rafael Grossi," Mohsen Naziri Asl, Iran's representative to the IAEA, told AFP.

"We should avoid confrontation and rather work very responsibly together," he added.

He declined to give details, including on Grossi's announcement that surveillance cameras at several nuclear sites would be reconnected.

In a statement to the IAEA board of governors meeting this week, France, Germany and the UK spoke of Iran's "unabated and dangerous nuclear escalation".

"This unprecedented enrichment at up to 83.7 percent U-235 is an extremely grave escalation," they said.

The US also called the discovery of the particles "an alarming development" with 83.7 percent being just under the 90 percent needed to produce an atomic bomb.

"Iran must ensure that such an incident never occurs again," said Laura Holgate, the US Ambassador to the IAEA.

"Unfortunately, too many times in the past, Iran has issued similarly vague promises for cooperation in order to avoid international censure, only to never follow through."

Iran denies wanting to acquire atomic weapons, and says it had made no attempt to enrich uranium beyond 60-percent purity.

On-off talks between Tehran and world powers to revive a 2015 landmark deal have stalled since last year.

The deal collapsed after Washington withdrew from it in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, while Tehran in turn started to step up its nuclear programme again from 2019.


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
BlackSky plans new satellite network for large-scale AI-driven Earth observation
Fish biofluorescence evolved independently over 100 times in evolutionary history
Meteosat-12 begins prime service delivering enhanced weather data for Europe

24/7 Energy News Coverage
Human brain reveals hidden action cues AI still fails to grasp
Key factors shaping soil carbon storage in boreal forests revealed
Light travels through entire human head in breakthrough for optical brain imaging

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
Iran calls IAEA a 'partner' in Israel's 'war of aggression'
Iran's Khamenei 'can no longer be allowed to exist': Israel defence minister
Israel-Iran war: Trump weighs direct U.S. involvement

24/7 News Coverage
New Zealand halts aid to Cook Islands over China deals
Warning signs on climate flashing bright red: top scientists
'We have to try everything': Vanuatu envoy taking climate fight to ICJ



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.