Iran welcomes IAEA report on nuclear program as "positive, constructive"

TEHRAN: The recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran's nuclear program is "positive and constructive," said KazemGharibabadi, Iran's ambassador to the Vienna-based international organisations.

The report deals with the developments and progress of relations and cooperation between Iran and the IAEA over the past three months, Gharibabadi was quoted as saying by Iran Labor News Agency (ILNA) on Saturday.

"It indicates the constructive interaction of the two sides during the period to reach a common understanding and find solutions to issues," he said, Xinhua news agency reported.

The IAEA's quarterly report on Friday said that Iran's stockpile of uranium enrichment has increased to 2,105kg (4,640lb), more than 10 times the permitted 202.08kg enriched uranium under the Iranian landmark nuclear deal, which was sealed between Iran and China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain and the United States in 2015.

US President Donald Trump, however, pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018, reinstated old and new sanctions on Iran's energy and financial sectors, calling for new accord with the Islamic republic whereby more restrictions could be exerted on the nuclear activities of Tehran and a curb on the country's developing ballistic missile program.

Following the US exit, Iran started to gradually renege on its obligations under the deal, and it vowed to produce more enriched uranium, resume relevant research and development activities and to rise the fissile purity of the enriched uranium from the permitted 3.6 per cent to 4.5 per cent.

The IAEA's report also confirmed that the organization's inspectors have taken samples from one of the two requested locations inside Iran, and they would take samples from the second location at the end of September.(IANS) 

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