The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced that its inspectors are on the ground in Iran and are monitoring and reporting centrifuge-related research and development activities.

Iran Press/Europe: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that it has inspectors on the ground in Iran who will be able to look into reports that Tehran began injecting uranium gas into advanced centrifuges.

“We are aware of the media reports today related to Iran’s centrifuge research and development. Agency inspectors are on the ground in #Iran and they will report any relevant activities to IAEA headquarters in Vienna,” IAEA Spokesperson said in a tweet on Saturday, according to Iran Press.

Earlier on Thursday and after US statement to implement further sanctions against Iran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country has begun the latest step in reducing its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Also on Saturday, 7 September, in a news conference in Tehran, the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi explained Iran’s new steps to reduce its commitments.

He told reporters that Iran's Atomic Energy Agency had activated 20 IR-4 and 20 IR-6 centrifuges which could enrich high-quality uranium.

The Iranian official stressed that in the meantime, Iran has no plan to limit IAEA monitoring activities and will continue to allow UN inspectors to access nuclear sites in the country. However, Kamalvandi said all these steps are reversible if the other side fulfils its promises.”

Kamalvandi went on to say that Tehran could now exceed the 20% enrichment level, a significant leap towards the critical 90%, "but right now there is no need for that", he said.

IAEA Acting Director-General Cornel Feruta arrives in Tehran on  Sunday, 1:30 am; the agency said he will meet on Sunday with high-ranking officials in Tehran, including Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) of Iran as part of ongoing contacts related to its monitoring under the nuclear deal. The IAEA, which issues compliance reports, meets in Vienna on Monday. 101/211

 

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