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BERLIN: Military operations in Iran must be stopped to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to safely access nuclear facilities and assess the situation on the ground, Russian news agency TASS reported, citing IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
“There needs to be a cessation of hostilities for the necessary safety and security conditions to prevail so that Iran can let IAEA teams into the sites to assess the situation.
“IAEA inspectors are in Iran and they are ready,” Grossi said during an emergency meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors.
Grossi stressed that establishing the facts on the ground is a prerequisite for any agreement – and this can only be achieved through IAEA inspections.
He acknowledged that while Iran has the right to take emergency measures to protect its nuclear facilities, such actions must be carried out per the country’s obligations to the agency.
Grossi said any transfer of nuclear materials or related equipment within Iran must be formally notified to the IAEA.
He added that inspectors must first verify the status of 400 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 per cent.
Grossi also noted that Iran had informed the agency of its plans to implement special measures to safeguard nuclear materials and equipment in the event of a threat.
He thanked Iranian authorities for their cooperation in monitoring the condition of the country’s nuclear facilities, and also expressed appreciation to the relevant United Nations bodies.
On the night of June 22, the United States military launched airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities – Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
US President Donald Trump has called on Tehran to agree to end the conflict. Since June 13, Israel has been conducting daily attacks in Iran as part of an operation targeting the country’s nuclear programme. — BERNAMA
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