Iran to turn off IAEA cameras at nuclear sites

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) – Iran on Wednesday announced plans to turn off some cameras of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its nuclear sites, amid rising tensions between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog.

In a statement, Iran’s nuclear agency accused the IAEA of being “ungrateful for Iran’s extensive cooperation,” saying surveillance cameras of the online enrichment monitor (OLEM) will be turned offline.

Atomic Energy Organization spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi said Tehran “cannot be cooperative” while the IAEA displays “unreasonable behavior.”

More than 80% of the IAEA’s cameras at Iran’s nuclear sites operating under the safeguards agreement, however, will keep functioning as usual, the nuclear agency said in the statement.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said Monday that Iran had failed to ease concerns about its nuclear program by refusing to provide answers about uranium traces at three undeclared sites.

Grossi, whose visit to Israel ahead of the IAEA board of governors meeting created controversy, said the answers received by the UN nuclear agency from Iran have “not been technically credible.”

Talks between Iran and world powers in Vienna to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal have been stalled amid key disagreements between Tehran and Washington.

The US walked out of the deal in May 2018 and reinstated sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran ramped up its uranium enrichment process from 3.65% stipulated in the deal to 60%.

Without specifying Iran’s reaction to the potential resolution at the IAEA meeting, Eslami on Monday said the decision to enrich uranium up to 90% purity rests with relevant officials.