Iran Disconnects UN Surveillance Cameras At Nuclear Site

NBC: Iran turns off two U.N. monitoring cameras at nuclear site 

The U.N. atomic agency cameras are part of an inspections regime that Iran agreed to under the 2015 nuclear deal. President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal. 

Iran says it has turned off two U.N. cameras monitoring its nuclear work, just as the United States and European governments were poised to rebuke Tehran over the regime’s failure to cooperate with an international probe of its nuclear program. 

The move cast fresh doubts on efforts to restore a 2015 nuclear deal designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and underscored rising tensions between Tehran and Washington. 

Iran announced the step through state television and other media outlets, saying two cameras from the International Atomic Energy Agency had been deactivated, but did not specify which nuclear site was affected or offer further details.  

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WNU Editor: Iran is upset about this .... Nuclear watchdog censures Iran over uranium traces - diplomats (BBC). 

 Iran Disconnects UN Surveillance Cameras At Nuclear Site  

Iran says 2 UN watchdog devices at nuclear site turned off -- AP  

Iran disconnects nuclear site cameras as IAEA raises concern over uranium traces -- France 24  

Iran shuts down UN surveillance cameras at nuclear site amid stalled talks -- Washington Examiner 

Iran turns off nuclear site cameras in response to IAEA -- Al-Monitor  

Iran shuts down nuclear watchdog’s cameras -- RT

IAEA Chief Says ‘Only Countries Making Bombs’ Are Enriching Uranium At Iran’s Level

IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi

IAEA sounded the alarm once things got serious as regards the Iran deal. https://t.co/rkt26DrA1C

— Velina Tchakarova (@vtchakarova) May 26, 2021

CNBC: ‘Only countries making bombs’ are enriching uranium at Iran’s level, IAEA chief says 

* Iran is now enriching its uranium to 60% purity, dramatically higher than the 3.67% level permitted under the 2015 deal. 

* Earlier this week, Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog agreed to extend an expired monitoring agreement by a month. 

 * The IAEA warning comes amid high tensions between Iran and the world powers that signed the Iran nuclear deal as negotiations between those countries to revive the deal are underway. 

The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency has expressed alarm over Iran’s nuclear program, spelling out his concern in an interview with the Financial Times this week. 

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told the newspaper in an interview published Wednesday that the situation was “very concerning.” 

Earlier this week, Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog agreed to extend an expired monitoring agreement by a month. 

Grossi’s warning comes amid high tensions between Iran and the world powers that signed the 2015 Iran nuclear deal as negotiations between those countries to revive the deal are underway. 

“A country enriching at 60 percent is a very serious thing — only countries making bombs are reaching this level,” Grossi told the FT.  

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Update #1: IAEA Chief Warns Iran Has Already Reached Nuclear Weapons Capable Enrichment -- Zero Hedge  

Update #2: IAEA chief: Iran’s uranium enrichment now at levels of ‘countries making bombs’ -- Times of Israel  

WNU Editor: This is a problem .... Iran’s failure to explain uranium traces is ‘big problem’, says IAEA chief (The Guardian). More here .... Iran's failure to provide explanations about recent uranium traces affects its credibility: IAEA chief (Saudi Gazette)

UN, Iran Agree To Extend Nuclear Monitoring For One Month

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi addresses the media at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria, May 24, 2021.  

BBC: Iran agrees to extend IAEA nuclear monitoring deal for one month 

Iran has agreed to extend by one month an agreement allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to keep surveillance cameras at nuclear sites. 

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told reporters that the deal would now end on 24 June.

Iran reduced its co-operation with the watchdog in February in retaliation for sanctions reinstated by the US when it abandoned a nuclear deal in 2018.

It said the extension was a gesture of "good faith" while talks on lifting the sanctions continued in Vienna.  

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 More News On The UN And Iran Agreeing To Extend The Nuclear Monitoring For One Month  

UN, Iran Agree to Extend Nuclear Monitoring -- VOA  

Iran agrees to extend UN watchdog deal over nuclear sites -- DW  

UN nuclear watchdog says it has agreed with Iran to extend monitoring agreement for one month -- CNBC  

Iran and UN nuclear watchdog agree extension to inspections -- The Guardian