Wednesday, 21 May 2025
America Age
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Font ResizerAa
America AgeAmerica Age
Search
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
America Age > Blog > World > Iran says it has turned off 2 U.N. watchdog devices at nuclear site
World

Iran says it has turned off 2 U.N. watchdog devices at nuclear site

Enspirers | Editorial Board
Share
Iran says it has turned off 2 U.N. watchdog devices at nuclear site
SHARE
LA Times

AMIR VAHDAT and JON GAMBRELL

June 8, 2022, 4:23 PM

FILE - An inspector of the International Atomic Energy Agency sets up surveillance equipment, at the Uranium Conversion Facility of Iran, just outside the city of Isfahan, Iran, Aug. 8, 2005. Iran turned off two surveillance cameras of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog that monitored one of its atomic sites, state television reported Wednesday, June 8, 2022. The report did not identify the site. (AP Photo/Mehdi Ghasemi, ISNA, File )
An inspector of the International Atomic Energy Agency sets up surveillance equipment at the Uranium Conversion Facility of Iran, just outside the city of Isfahan, in 2005. (Mehdi Ghasemi / Associated Press)

Iran turned off two surveillance devices Wednesday used by U.N. inspectors to monitor the Islamic Republic’s uranium enrichment, further escalating the crisis over its atomic program as Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters.

The move appeared to be a new pressure technique just before the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors, meeting in Vienna, approved a resolution to criticize Iran put forward by Western nations. The censure deals with what the watchdog refers to as Iran’s failure to provide “credible information” over nuclear material found at undeclared sites across the country.

But Iran’s latest move, announced by state television, makes it even more difficult for inspectors to monitor Tehran’s nuclear program. Nonproliferation experts have warned Iran now has enough uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels to pursue an atomic bomb if it chooses to do so.

The state TV report, later repeated by other Iranian media, said authorities deactivated the “beyond-safeguards cameras of the measuring Online Enrichment Monitor … and flowmeter.” That apparently refers to the IAEA’s online monitors that watch the enrichment of uranium gas through piping at enrichment facilities.

In 2016, the IAEA said it installed the device for the first time in Iran’s underground Natanz nuclear facility, its main enrichment site, about 125 miles south of the capital, Tehran. The device allowed for “around-the-clock monitoring” of the facility’s cascades, a series of centrifuges hooked together to rapidly spin uranium gas to enrich it.

“Traditional methods of sampling and analysis can take three weeks or longer, mostly because of the time it takes to ship the sample from Iran to the IAEA’s laboratories in Austria,” the agency said at the time.

Iran is also enriching uranium at its underground Fordo facility, though the IAEA is not known to have installed these devices there.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far had extensive cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency,” state TV said in its report Wednesday. “Unfortunately, the agency, without considering this cooperation … not only did not appreciate this cooperation, but also considered it a duty of Iran.”

Tehran said its civilian nuclear arm, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, monitored the shutdown of the cameras. It said 80% of the existing cameras are IAEA “safeguard” cameras and they will continue to operate as before. Safeguards refer to the IAEA’s inspections and monitoring of a country’s nuclear program.

However, an Iranian official warned IAEA officials that Tehran was now considering taking “other measures” as well.

“We hope that they come to their senses and respond to Iran’s cooperation with cooperation,” said Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. “It is not acceptable that they show inappropriate behavior while Iran continues to cooperate.”

The Vienna-based IAEA declined to immediately comment. However, Iran’s move came after IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi criticized Iran for failing to provide “credible information” about unexplained, man-made nuclear material discovered at three undeclared Iranian sites — long a point of contention between the agency and Tehran.

U.S. Ambassador Laura S.H. Holgate identified the Iranian sites in comments Wednesday to the IAEA’s board as Marivan, Turquzabad and Varamin. Iran has denied carrying out nuclear work at these locations.

Holgate urged Iran to cooperate with U.N. inspectors and said that moving forward with the censure would “hold Iran accountable.”

“Restricting IAEA access and attempts to paint the IAEA as politicized for simply doing its job will serve no purpose,” she said.

Iran already has been holding footage from IAEA surveillance cameras since February 2021 as a pressure tactic to restore the atomic accord.

Iran and world powers agreed in 2015 to the nuclear deal, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. In 2018, then-President Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord, raising tensions across the wider Middle East and sparking a series of attacks and incidents.

Talks in Vienna over Iran’s tattered nuclear deal have been stalled since April. Since the deal’s collapse, Iran runs advanced centrifuges and has a rapidly growing stockpile of enriched uranium. Nonproliferation experts warn Iran has enriched enough up to 60% purity — a short technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90% — to make one nuclear weapon should it decide to do so.

Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, though U.N. experts and Western intelligence agencies say Iran had an organized military nuclear program through 2003.

Building a nuclear bomb would still take Iran more time if it pursued a weapon, analysts say, though they warn Tehran’s advances make the program more dangerous. Israel has threatened in the past that it would carry out a preemptive strike to stop Iran — and already is suspected in a series of recent killings targeting Iranian officials.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday and discussed the need to revive the nuclear deal, the Kremlin said.

In a statement Tuesday to the IAEA, France, Germany and the United Kingdom warned the moves taken by Tehran are “further reducing the time Iran would take to break out towards a first nuclear weapon and it is fueling distrust as to Iran’s intentions.”

“The IAEA has been without crucial access to data on centrifuge and component manufacturing for a year and half now,” the statement warned. “This means that neither the agency, nor the international community, know how many centrifuges Iran has in its inventory, how many were built, and where they may be located.”

The countries urged Iran “to stop escalating its nuclear program and to urgently conclude [the] deal that is on the table.”

But just before the camera announcement, the head of Iran’s nuclear organization insisted the country has no secret nuclear activity and accused the West of making a “political move” by trying to censure Iran.

”Iran has had maximum cooperation with the IAEA,” said Mohammad Eslami, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

The censure resolution at the IAEA meeting in Vienna, sponsored by Germany, France, the U.K. and U.S., passed with the support of 30 of 35 governors. Russia and China voted against, Russian Ambassador Mikhail Ulyanov wrote on Twitter. India, Libya and Pakistan abstained.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Oz wins Pa. Senate primary ahead of showdown with Fetterman Oz wins Pa. Senate primary ahead of showdown with Fetterman
Next Article North Korea opens major party meeting amid nuke test signs North Korea opens major party meeting amid nuke test signs

Your Trusted Source for Accurate and Timely Updates!

Our commitment to accuracy, impartiality, and delivering breaking news as it happens has earned us the trust of a vast audience. Stay ahead with real-time updates on the latest events, trends.
FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
InstagramFollow
LinkedInFollow
MediumFollow
QuoraFollow
- Advertisement -
Ad image

Popular Posts

Cassidy Hutchinson, Meadows Aide, Expected to Testify at Jan. 6 Hearing

WASHINGTON — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol is expected…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

L.A. Church Providing 150 Beds & Counseling to These Affected by Fires

As L.A. wildfires wreak havoc, one native church is stepping up -- providing important housing…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Is China ready to lead on protecting nature? At the upcoming UN biodiversity conference, it will preside and set the tone

<img class="caas-img has-preview" alt="Four Père David's deer (_Elaphurus davidianus_), also known as milu deer, on…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Media Push Deceptive Crime Stats To Defend Democrat Narrative

Credit score: The White Home, Public area, through Wikimedia Commons By John R. Lott Jr.…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

You Might Also Like

Sussan Ley knew she confronted a problem. Then the Nationals went nuclear
World

Sussan Ley knew she confronted a problem. Then the Nationals went nuclear

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Australia information dwell: morning commuters advised to keep away from Sydney trains as delays proceed; report flood hits Taree
World

Australia information dwell: morning commuters advised to keep away from Sydney trains as delays proceed; report flood hits Taree

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
ABC and SBS gender pay gaps revealed as public sector wage information launched for the primary time
World

ABC and SBS gender pay gaps revealed as public sector wage information launched for the primary time

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
UK suspends commerce talks with Israel and assaults ‘repellant’ extremism
World

UK suspends commerce talks with Israel and assaults ‘repellant’ extremism

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
America Age
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


America Age: Your instant connection to breaking stories and live updates. Stay informed with our real-time coverage across politics, tech, entertainment, and more. Your reliable source for 24/7 news.

Company
  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement
Contact Us
  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability
Terms of Use
  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?