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Iran cancels accreditation of IAEA nuclear inspector Iran cancels accreditation of IAEA nuclear inspector
(about 3 hours later)
Iran has cancelled the accreditation of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspector who was prevented from entering a nuclear facility last week.Iran has cancelled the accreditation of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspector who was prevented from entering a nuclear facility last week.
The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) said an alarm was triggered when the woman went through screening at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant. It said the inspector triggered an alarm at the gate to the Natanz uranium enrichment plant, raising fears that she was carrying "suspicious material".
Officials feared she was carrying "suspicious material", it added. The US said she was briefly detained - an accusation Iran rejected.
There was no comment from the IAEA, which is in charge of monitoring Iranian compliance with a nuclear deal. It seems to be the first such incident since the IAEA began monitoring Iranian compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal.
The announcement came as Iran rolled back another commitment under the 2015 accord by resuming enriching uranium at its underground Fordo facility. Enriched uranium can be used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear weapons. The US also warned that Iran appeared to be "positioning itself to have the option of a rapid nuclear break-out" after it rolled back another commitment under the accord.
It is the fourth such step Iran has taken in response to the sanctions reinstated by US President Donald Trump when he abandoned the nuclear deal last year. On Thursday, uranium enrichment resumed at the underground Fordo facility. Enriched uranium can be used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear weapons.
It is the fourth such step Iran, which has insisted its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, has taken in response to the sanctions reinstated by US President Donald Trump when he abandoned the nuclear deal last year.
Under the accord, Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.Under the accord, Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.
Mr Trump wants to force Iran to negotiate a new agreement that would place indefinite curbs on its nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles. But Iran has so far refused.Mr Trump wants to force Iran to negotiate a new agreement that would place indefinite curbs on its nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles. But Iran has so far refused.
The other parties to the deal - the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia - have tried to keep it alive. But the sanctions have caused Iran's oil exports to collapse and the value of its currency to plummet, and sent its inflation rate soaring.The other parties to the deal - the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia - have tried to keep it alive. But the sanctions have caused Iran's oil exports to collapse and the value of its currency to plummet, and sent its inflation rate soaring.
The incident at Natanz seems to be the first of its kind since the nuclear deal was implemented. At a special meeting of the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors in Vienna on Thursday, Iranian ambassador Kazem Gharibabadi said the inspector was denied entry to Natanz because alarms went off as she entered the facility.
In a statement, the AEOI said the inspector had been denied entry to the facility after a routine check suggested the possible presence of "suspicious material". There was no doubt, he added, that suspicious material was involved.
Iran reported the incident to the IAEA and cancelled the inspector's accreditation, it added. As a result, she left the country for Austria. Mr Gharibabadi denied reports that the inspector had her travel documents taken and was briefly detained before she left Iran.
Three diplomats familiar with the IAEA's work told Reuters news agency that the inspector had had her travel documents taken, and two said she was briefly held. US ambassador Jackie Wolcott told the meeting: "The detention of an IAEA inspector in Iran is an outrageous provocation."
The IAEA has not yet commented on the issue, which is expected to be raised at a special meeting of its 35-nation board of governors in Vienna on Thursday. "All board members need to make clear now and going forward that such actions are completely unacceptable, will not be tolerated, and must have consequences."
There are concerns about how the nuclear inspectors will carry out their work in future. The European Union said it was "deeply concerned" by what had happened and called on Iran to "ensure that no such incidents occur in the future".
The board of governors meeting will also discuss Iran's reported failure to co-operate with IAEA inspectors investigating how traces of uranium were found at a site in the Turquzabad area of Tehran, where Israel has said a "secret atomic warehouse" was once located. The IAEA has so far not commented.
Under the nuclear deal, Iran is required to permit the IAEA "regular access, including daily access as requested by the IAEA, to relevant buildings at Natanz".Under the nuclear deal, Iran is required to permit the IAEA "regular access, including daily access as requested by the IAEA, to relevant buildings at Natanz".
The board of governors also discussed the detection of potentially undeclared nuclear material in Iran.
Ms Wolcott asked the IAEA secretariat to "keep the board fully and regularly apprised on these serious safeguards concerns until all open questions are satisfactorily addressed", and called on the acting director general to make public information about the matter.
Iran has reportedly failed to co-operate with an investigation into how traces of uranium were found at a site in the Turquzabad area of Tehran, where Israel has said there was a "secret atomic warehouse".
Before 2015, Iran had two enrichment facilities - Natanz and Fordo - where uranium hexafluoride gas was fed into centrifuges to separate out the most fissile isotope, U-235.Before 2015, Iran had two enrichment facilities - Natanz and Fordo - where uranium hexafluoride gas was fed into centrifuges to separate out the most fissile isotope, U-235.
The deal saw Iran agree to only produce low-enriched uranium, which has a 3-4% concentration of U-235, and can be used to produce fuel for nuclear power plants. Weapons-grade uranium is 90% enriched or more.The deal saw Iran agree to only produce low-enriched uranium, which has a 3-4% concentration of U-235, and can be used to produce fuel for nuclear power plants. Weapons-grade uranium is 90% enriched or more.
Iran also agreed to install no more than 5,060 of the oldest and least efficient centrifuges at Natanz until 2026, and not to carry out any enrichment at Fordo until 2031. The 1,044 centrifuges at Fordo were supposed to spin without gas being injected. Iran also agreed to install no more than 5,060 of the oldest and least efficient centrifuges at Natanz until 2026, and not to carry out any enrichment at Fordo until 2031. Fordo's 1,044 centrifuges were supposed to spin without gas being injected.
On Monday, the head of the AEOI said it had doubled the number of advanced centrifuges being operated at Natanz. Ali Akbar Salehi told reporters it now possessed 60 IR-6 centrifuges, and that it could enrich uranium to 20% concentration "within four minutes" of being given an order.On Monday, the head of the AEOI said it had doubled the number of advanced centrifuges being operated at Natanz. Ali Akbar Salehi told reporters it now possessed 60 IR-6 centrifuges, and that it could enrich uranium to 20% concentration "within four minutes" of being given an order.
Shortly after midnight on Thursday, Iran began injecting uranium hexafluoride into the centrifuges at Fordo under the supervision of the IAEA and the enrichment process began, state media reported. Shortly after midnight on Thursday, the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) began injecting uranium hexafluoride into the centrifuges at Fordo under the supervision of the IAEA and the enrichment process began, spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said. A concentration of 4.5% will have been achieved by Saturday.
President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Iran was aware of the "sensitivity" of the other parties to the deal regarding enrichment at Fordo, which was built in secret about 90m (300ft) under a mountain to shield it from air strikes.President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that Iran was aware of the "sensitivity" of the other parties to the deal regarding enrichment at Fordo, which was built in secret about 90m (300ft) under a mountain to shield it from air strikes.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that the resumption of enrichment at Fordo represented a "profound change" from Iran's previous position. "But at the same time when they uphold their commitments we will cut off the gas again... so it is possible to reverse this step," he added.
"I will have discussions in the coming days, including with the Iranians, and we must collectively draw the consequences," he told reporters in Beijing. Following the resumption of enrichment at Fordo, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Iran was trying to "extort the international community".
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Iran needed to "stand by the commitments it made and urgently return to full compliance". "Iran's expansion of proliferation-sensitive activities raises concerns that Iran is positioning itself to have the option of a rapid nuclear break-out," he added.
"It is now time for all nations to reject this regime's nuclear extortion and take serious steps to increase pressure. Iran's continued and numerous nuclear provocations demand such action."