Head Of The U.N.’s Nuclear Watchdog Says It No Longer Has Access To Cameras In Key Iranian Nuclear Facility

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. (Photo: D. Calma/IAEA) 

 NBC: U.N. nuke watchdog chief says monitoring of Iran is no longer 'intact.'  

New hardline government's refusal to communicate or allow access to key site is worrisome, Grossi says. 

WASHINGTON — The head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog says his monitoring program in Iran is no longer “intact” after Tehran refused requests to repair cameras at a key facility, creating the possibility the world will never be “able to reconstruct the picture” of what the Iranians have been doing. 

In an interview with NBC News, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi says he’s been unable to establish the type of direct communication with Iran’s government that he had before a new hardline government run by President Ebrahim Raisi was elected in June.  

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Update: UN watchdog says it no longer has access to cameras in key Iran nuclear facility (The Hill)  

WNU Editor: When the head of the IAEA says Iran is ghosting him, you know this is not going to end well.

UN Nuclear Monitors Say Their Surveillance Gear Is Missing In Iran

 

Bloomberg: Nuclear Monitors Say Surveillance Gear Missing in Iran 

(Bloomberg) -- A mysterious blast that shook a centrifuge workshop in Iran is still reverberating among international nuclear monitors who are now reporting that some of their surveillance equipment went missing following the June incident. 

The International Atomic Energy Agency told diplomats in a restricted report that failure to recover its recording devices could imperil inspectors’ ability to reconstruct activity at the facility in the town of Karaj, located northwest of Tehran. 

The workshop produces components for centrifuges -- the fast-spinning machines used to enrich uranium. 

Iran suspended IAEA access to the site in February but allowed cameras to continue filming and said the data would be given to inspectors if its nuclear agreement with world powers is restored.  

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More News On The IAEA's And Iran's Nuclear Program 

Iran Blocking IAEA Access to Nuclear-Related Sites -- FOX News/WSJ  

Iran blocking UN atomic agency access to nuclear-related sites, IAEA says -- Livemint  

Nuclear monitoring in Iran ‘seriously undermined’: IAEA -- AFP  

UN watchdog says Iran stonewalling nuclear probe -- The Hill  

UN nuke watchdog: Iran pressing on with uranium enrichment -- FOX News Iran signals defiance after chiding IAEA report -- Al Jazeera  

Iran's Raisi Counters IAEA Charge As U.S., Russia Focus On Tehran Nuclear Issues -- RFE

UN Wants A Quick Response From Iran On Expired Nuclear Monitoring Deal

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi from Argentina, addresses the media during a news conference behind plexiglass shields regarding the agency's monitoring of Iran's nuclear energy program at the International Center in Vienna, Austria, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Lisa Leutner)  

Reuters: IAEA demands Iran answer on monitoring, Iran says not obliged to reply 

VIENNA/PARIS (Reuters) -The U.N. nuclear watchdog on Friday demanded an immediate reply from Iran on whether it would extend a monitoring agreement that expired overnight, prompting an Iranian envoy to respond that Tehran was under no obligation to provide an answer. 

The agreement continued the International Atomic Energy Agency's collection of data on some of Tehran's activities, cushioning the blow of Iran's decision in February to reduce cooperation with the agency. 

"An immediate response from Iran is needed in this regard," the IAEA said in a statement summarizing a report by its chief Rafael Grossi to its 35-nation Board of Governors that was also seen by Reuters. 

Grossi wrote to Iran last week "to understand Iran's position regarding the possible continued collection, recording and retention of data", the report said. 

As of Friday, Iran had not indicated if it intended to maintain the arrangement, it said.  

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More News On The UN Wanting A Quick Response From Iran On Expired Nuclear Monitoring Deal  

UN atomic agency: ‘No reply’ from Iran on expired nuclear inspections deal -- Times of Israel/AFP 

UN wants quick response from Iran on expired nuclear monitoring deal -- Middle East Eye

IAEA demands ‘immediate response’ from Iran over extending nuclear monitoring agreement -- RT  

Iran: Recording nuclear data is a political decision not related to IAEA -- Tehran Times  

Iran says it’s not required to comply with UN nuclear watchdog’s demand of ‘immediate response’ on extending monitoring deal -- RT

UN Watchdog: Iran Has Accelerated Its Enrichment Of Uranium

Daily Mail: Iran has accelerated its enrichment of uranium putting it on track to breach the nuclear deal, UN watchdog says

* Yukiya Amano says Tehran has accelerated production of fuel-grade uranium
* Move does not automatically put Iran in breach of nuclear pact, but sets it on track to breach stockpile limits set under the deal
* Iran set July 7 deadline to breach deal unless it receives benefits it was promised
* German foreign minister visited Tehran this week in attempt to salvage the pact

Iran has followed through on a threat to accelerate its production of enriched uranium, the head of the U.N. atomic watchdog said on Monday.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano also issued a rare warning to world leaders, saying he was worried about increasing tensions in the Middle East.

Iran had threatened to quadruple its production of enriched uranium after America stepped up sanctions and moved troops to the region after tearing up the nuclear pact signed under the Obama administration.

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More News On The UN Nuclear Watchdog Warning that Iran Has Accelerated Its Enrichment Of Uranium

Important for Iran to Implement its JCPOA Commitments, IAEA Director General Says -- IAEA
IAEA: Iran has accelerated enrichment of uranium -- Al Arabiya/Reuters
Iran has increased production of enriched uranium - IAEA -- BBC
Iran has accelerated production of enriched uranium, IAEA says -- Jerusalem Post
Iran has accelerated enrichment of uranium, says UN watchdog -- Al Jazeera
UN Nuclear Watchdog Says Iran Steps Up Enriched Uranium Production -- Sputnik

UN Nuclear Watchdog Decided To Not Issue A Report On Additional Iranian Nuclear Advancements

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano reacts as he attends a news conference during a board of governors meeting at the UN headquarters in Vienna November 29, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Herwig Prammer

No Iran Report With New Bomb Research Information: IAEA -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Friday it had not prepared a report with new information about suspected atomic bomb research in Iran, after Israel urged it to go public with all information it has regarding such suspicions.

Israel's statement followed a Reuters report on Thursday that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had planned a major report on Iran last year that might have revealed more of its alleged activities that could be used for designing a nuclear warhead, but had held off as Tehran's relations with the outside world thawed.

Sources familiar with the matter said the IAEA apparently had not gone ahead with writing the report and that there was no way of knowing what extra information might have been included in such a document, although one source said it could have added to worries about Iran.

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More News On Reports That The UN Nuclear Watchdog Decided To Not Issue A Report On Additional Iranian Nuclear Advancements

Israel urges IAEA to issue full report on Iran nuclear research -- Reuters
UN nuclear agency drops sensitive Iran report, sources say -- Haaretz
UN nuclear agency opted against sensitive Iran report, news report says -- Christian Science Monitor
Reuters: U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Shelved Plans for Report Detailing Iran Nuclear Weapons Progress -- The Tower
Israel blasts IAEA’s reported shelving of Iran nuke report -- JTA
Nuclear watchdog denies shelving new Iran report -- Times of Israel

My Comment: What did the UN nuclear inspectors discover? No one is talking.

The U.S. And Russia Clash Over The Risk Of A Nuclear 'Catastrophe' In Syria

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano (left) addresses Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria. Photo: IAEA/Dean Calma

IAEA Divided on Atomic Risks From Potential US Airstrike in Syria -- RIA Novosti

VIENNA, September 9 (RIA Novosti) – The head of the United Nations’ nuclear energy watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Monday that his agency was divided about nuclear risks from a potential US airstrike in Syria.

Yukiya Amano said that US and Cuban representatives disagreed about such risks, but their exact opinions could not be revealed because they spoke at a private meeting of the agency’s board of governors.

He said his agency would be unable to fulfill Russia’s request for such an assessment within the week.

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More News On Russian Demands That The IAEA Report On Syria Attack Risks

Russia, US argue over Moscow’s request for IAEA to analyze risk of Syria nuclear disaster -- RT
US questions Russia's request for IAEA assessment on Syrian reactor -- Jerusalem Post/Reuters
Syria civil war: Russia demands United Nations report on risk of nuclear ‘catastrophe’ -- The Independent
Russia Presses UN to Report on Syria Attack Risks -- ABC News/AP
Syria Squeezes Atomic Monitors Between Russian, U.S. Requests -- Bloomberg Businessweek
U.S. opposes IAEA risk probe on possible military attacks on Syria -- Xinhuanet

U.N.'s IAEA Has Been Infiltrated By Iranian Hackers

Hackers Break Into IAEA Servers, Post Data Online -- Express Tribune/Reuters

VIENNA: The UN nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday that hackers had managed to breach their systems and had stolen information from one of its former servers. The compromised data had subsequently been posted on a hacker site this week, and that it was taking ”all possible steps” to ensure its computer systems were protected.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is investigating Iran’s nuclear activity, said the information concerned contact details of experts working with the IAEA but it did not say who might have been behind the hack.

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More News On The IAEA's Servers Being Hacked By Iranian Hackers

U.N. Nuclear Agency Says It Was Hacked -- Wall Street Journal
U.N. atom agency says stolen information on hacker site -- Reuters
IAEA Admits Computer System Hacked -- Radio Free Europe
Pro-Iranian Hackers Infiltrate Top Nuclear Watchdog And Call For Investigation Of Israel -- Business Insider
UN nuclear watchdog confirms data leak -- ZDNet
Pro-Iranian Hackers Hit U.N. Nuclear Agency, Publish Sensitive Info Online -- The Blaze
Hackers post atomic agency information -- Deutsche Welle
IAEA Server Breached, Scientists' Email Addresses Spilled -- Threat Post
Iranian Hackers Break Into IAEA Systems -- Arutz Sheva

U.N. Nuclear Inspectors Preparing To Go North Korea (Maybe)

U.N. Nuclear Inspectors Prepare For North Korea Return -- Euronews/Reuters

VIENNA (Reuters) – The United Nations nuclear watchdog is preparing for a possible return to North Korea three years after its inspectors were expelled from the reclusive Asian state, but is not yet in direct contact with Pyongyang, its chief said on Monday.

Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said he needed clarification about an agreement to suspend key parts of North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme that it and Washington announced last week.

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My Comment: The Director General is very optimistic on his inspectors going to North Korea, especially since he (and his organization) have not even entered into any talks and base their optimism on North Korean promises.

Iran's Nuclear Weapon Activity Under Scrutiny

Iran's Nuclear Activity Under Scrutiny As Evidence Of Weapons Threat Emerges -- The Guardian

Atomic agency report uncovers Iranian nuclear experiments experts claim could only be used for development of warhead

A report by the UN's nuclear watchdog due to be circulated around the world next week will provide fresh evidence of a possible Iranian nuclear weapons programme, bringing the Middle East a step closer to a devastating new conflict, say diplomats.

The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the latest of a series of quarterly bulletins on Iran's activities, but this one will contain an unprecedented level of detail on research and experiments carried out in Iran in recent years, which western officials allege could only be for the design and development of a nuclear warhead. "This will be a game-changer in the Iranian nuclear dossier," a western official predicted. "It is going to be hard for even Moscow or Beijing to downplay its significance."

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My Comment: The IAEA`s report and conclusions are not shared by everyone.

New Chief Takes Charge At The U.N. Nuclear Agency

Yukiya Amano, the new director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, at a news briefing Tuesday in Vienna. Herwig Prammer/Reuters

From The New York Times:

A new top inspector took charge Tuesday of the International Atomic Energy Agency as it faces one of the most turbulent periods in its 52-year history.

Yukiya Amano, 62, is a career diplomat and lawyer who served as Japan’s representative to the agency until his selection as director general in July. He inherits crises with Iran and North Korea, as well as the weakening of the global security system meant to curtail the spread of nuclear weapons.

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My Comment: He is no Mohamed ElBaradei, and as such I expect him to be more "confrontational" towards aspiring nuclear powers like Iran and North Korea.

Confusion At The IAEA On Iran Being Near The Production Of A Nuclear Bomb

International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei attends a board of governors meeting in Vienna June 18, 2009. REUTERS/Herwig Prammer

IAEA Denies Report It Is Sure Iran Seeking Atom Bomb -- Yahoo News/AP

VIENNA (Reuters) – The U.N. nuclear watchdog said Thursday it had no proof that Iran has or once had a covert atomic bomb program, dismissing a news report that it had concluded Iran was on its way to producing nuclear weapons.

In a statement, the International Atomic Energy Agency reaffirmed IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei's September 9 warning that allegations the agency was sitting on undeniable evidence of Iranian bomb work were "politically motivated and baseless."

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Previous News Report: Nuke agency says Iran can make bomb -- AP

My Comment: The men and women who wrote up the report on Iran's nuclear program are saying that Iran is near the ability to build a nuclear weapon. IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei is saying the opposite.

Who to believe?

Either way .... this undermines the credibility of the IAEA.

Is The UN Hiding Evidence That Incriminates Iran And Its Nuclear Program?

The IAEA chief has said the UN watchdog does not have any evidence Iran is developing a nuclear weapons programme.

Israel Says UN Covering Up Iran's Nuclear Arms Drive -- AFP

JERUSALEM — Israel is accusing the UN nuclear weapons watchdog of holding back incriminating evidence of Iran's drive to obtain nuclear weapons, the Haaretz newspaper reported on Wednesday.

It cited unnamed Israeli officials as saying the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was refraining from publishing data obtained in recent months that indicates Iran is pursing information about weaponisation efforts and a military nuclear programme.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who is to vacate his post in December, has said the UN watchdog does not have any evidence suggesting Iran is developing a nuclear weapons programme.

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More News On The IAEA And Iran's Nuclear Program

Sources: UN watchdog hiding evidence on Iran nuclear program -- Haaretz
Report accuses IAEA of hiding details -- UPI
IAEA Accused of Withholding Iran Nuclear Evidence -- Global Security Newswire
UN nukes chief 'hiding Iran evidence' -- The Australian
George Jonas: A tale of two nuclear bombs -- George Jonas, National Post opinion

NATO Urged To Drop Dependence On Nuclear Arms

From Defense Talk:

BRUSSELS: The head of the UN nuclear watchdog urged NATO nations Tuesday to end their dependence on nuclear weapons, as the military alliance launched a re-think of its future direction.

"You have to decrease heavily your reliance on nuclear weapons," the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed El Baradei told NATO officials and experts in Brussels.

He said that by relying on a nuclear deterrant, NATO was sending the wrong message to the world that "we need to develop nuclear weapons".

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My Comment: I would have to presume that Mohamed El Baradei's comments are directed at the United States, since the rest of NATO has only a few hundred nuclear weapons in stock. Hmmmm .... if the new U.S. - Russian arms control treaty becomes reality, Russia will then have a larger stockpile .... but I do not hear El Baradei commenting that Russia should lower their stockpile.

IAEA Chief Says Israeli Strike On Iran Would Be 'Insane'

Photo: The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei

From AFP:

BERLIN (AFP) — The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei called any possible Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities an "insane" move, in an interview with a German magazine.

"Attacking Iran would be insane," ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told Der Spiegel in an interview to appear Monday.

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My Comment: What is even more insane is having a country like Iran, with a president that preaches genocide on Israel, processing and enriching nuclear materials for a program that can only involve the manufacture and production of nuclear weapons.

But of course El Baradei is silent on this issue.

UN Mohamed ElBaradei: 20 New Nuclear States In Coming Years

From The Guardian:

The number of potential nuclear weapons states could more than double in a few years unless the major powers take radical steps towards disarmament, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog has warned.

In a Guardian interview, Mohamed ElBaradei said the threat of proliferation was particularly grave in the Middle East, a region he described as a "ticking bomb".]

ElBaradei, the outgoing director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the current international regime limiting the spread of nuclear weapons was in danger of falling apart under its own inequity. "Any regime … has to have a sense of fairness and equity and it is not there," he said in an interview at his offices in Vienna.

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My Comment: Strange remarks from a man who accepted the Nobel Peace Prize a few years ago for being successful on nuclear disarmament.

IAEA May Need Intelligence Arm Against Atom Terror

From Yahoo News/AP:

The U.N. atomic watchdog may need to set up its own intelligence unit to combat a growing menace of nuclear terrorism, a former senior CIA official said in an interview Wednesday.

"The good news is that no credible information has surfaced that al Qaeda has obtained weapons-usable nuclear materials. The bad news is that (these) are missing in significant quantities," said Rolf Mowatt-Larssen.

He said the International Atomic Energy Agency, with its expertise probing shadowy nuclear activity in Iran and the A.Q. Khan nuclear smuggling ring, could be well placed to transcend national barriers to intelligence-sharing on atomic threats.

"We urgently need to overco

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My Comment: The UN is the worse agency to monitor against atom terrorism .... especially when some of the member states that will supervise this agency are being accused of nuclear proliferation and terrorism.

GAO Seeks Curbs on Nuclear Assistance Funding to Terrorism Sponsors

From Yahoo News/CQ Politics:

The Government Accountability Office revealed Tuesday that U.S. funds promoting the peaceful use of nuclear technology went to countries listed as state sponsors of terrorism.

The agency recommended that Congress and the State Department restrict future funding to the International Atomic Energy Agency's Technical Cooperation Program to prevent Iran, Syria, Cuba and Sudan from receiving money. In a report, the GAO said neither the State Department nor the IAEA had systematically worked to limit assistance to the four countries, which together received more than $55 million from 1997-2007, meaning it's unclear whether U.S. funding has indirectly contributed to nuclear weapons proliferation.

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My Comment: This is unbelievable. The idea that U.S. taxpayer monies are supporting the nuclear programs in countries like Iran and Syria .... sigh .... there is something terribly wrong here.

Iran, Syria Got Indirect U.S. Nuclear Aid

From Wall Street Journal:

WASHINGTON -- Four countries designated by the U.S. as terrorism sponsors, including Iran and Syria, received $55 million from a U.S.-supported program promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy, according to a report by Congress's investigative arm.

Iran received more than $15 million from 1997 to 2007 under the International Atomic Energy Agency's Technical Cooperation program, according to the Government Accountability Office report set to be released Tuesday. An additional $14 million went to Syria, while Sudan and Cuba received more than $11 million each, it said.

The U.S. is the largest funder of the United Nations body's program and provided $20 million in 2007, or about a quarter of the budget, the report said.

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My Comment: We have found the enemy .... and it is us.