Şevval Tufan
The deaths of Iran’s president and foreign minister in a helicopter crash have interrupted the UN nuclear watchdog’s negotiations with Tehran on improving cooperation, the agency’s head disclosed to Reuters on Wednesday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had been set to restart technical discussions with Iran for nearly a year. However, these plans were put on hold after last weekend’s crash, which resulted in the deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi and his delegation.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi met with Finnish Climate and Environment Minister Kai Mykkanen (not pictured) during the Nordic Nuclear Forum in Helsinki, Finland, on May 22, 2024.
Recently, Tehran has excluded many of the IAEA’s most experienced uranium-enrichment inspectors from its team. Moreover, Iran has yet to clarify the presence of uranium traces at undeclared sites, despite a long-term investigation by the IAEA.
Iran is enriching uranium to 60% purity, nearing weapons-grade levels, a milestone no other nation has achieved without developing nuclear weapons.
Image/News Source: Iran INTL
