IAEA worried Iran may have undeclared nuclear material

VIENNA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is deeply concerned that Iran may have undeclared nuclear material at an undisclosed location, the agency's head said Monday.

"The presence of multiple uranium particles of anthropogenic origin, including isotopically altered particles, at a location which was not declared by Iran, is a clear indication that nuclear material and/or equipment contaminated by nuclear material has been present at this location," said Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi in his opening statement to the IAEA Board of Governors, introducing the agency's report on the verification and monitoring Iran's nuclear activities.

"After 18 months, Iran has not provided the necessary, full and technically credible explanation for the presence of these particles. In the absence of a technically credible explanation from Iran, the Agency is deeply concerned that undeclared nuclear material may have been present at this undeclared location and that such nuclear material remains unreported by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement," he added.

Grossi said Iran has not answered the agency's questions on the presence of such nuclear material at three different locations, adding that he expressed concern in his trip to Tehran last month.

"I expressed my readiness to engage Iran in a proactive and focused effort to break the impasse, and to clarify and resolve these issues without further delay," he said.

On Feb. 15, Iran told the IAEA that it would stop implementing "voluntary transparency measures as envisaged in the JCPOA, as of February 23, 2021, including the provisions of the Additional Protocol and Modified code 3.1 of the subsidiary arrangements to Iran's Safeguards Agreement," Grossi recalled.

He said Iran could not unilaterally modify agreed Subsidiary Arrangements according to Article 39 of its Safeguards Agreement and was "required to continue the implementation of the modified Code 3.1 of the Subsidiary Arrangements to that Agreement."

"Not doing so, would be inconsistent with Iran's obligations under the Subsidiary Arrangements to its Safeguards Agreement."

*Writing by Busra Nur Cakmak in Ankara