Iran’s uranium reserves are 30 times more than the agreement’s limit

Vienna: Planned discussions between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resolve a deadlock over Tehran’s nuclear programme have been suspended following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi this month, the agency said. A day after the helicopter crash on May 19 that killed Raisi and others, “Iran indicated that due to ‘special circumstances’, it is no longer appropriate to hold substantive discussions” and a new date would be set, according to a confidential report seen by AFP on Monday.

Tensions between Iran and the IAEA have flared repeatedly since the 2015 deal that curbed Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanction relief collapsed. In recent years, Tehran has reduced its cooperation with the IAEA by disabling monitoring equipment needed to oversee its nuclear program and barring UN inspectors. Earlier this month, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi visited Iran to improve cooperation with Tehran. After returning from his trip, Grossi denounced the “totally unsatisfactory” cooperation.

In a separate confidential report seen by AFP ahead of a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors next week, the agency said Iran’s estimated stockpile of enriched uranium had reached more than 30 times the limit set in a 2015 deal between Tehran and world powers. Iran’s total enriched uranium stockpile as of May 11 was estimated at 6,201.3 kilograms, up 675.8 kilograms from the previous quarterly report in February, according to the report. EU mediation efforts to revive the deal – to get the US back on board and Iran back into compliance – have so far been futile.