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Iran denies presence of undeclared nuclear material

Nuclear Program Materials 10 June 2023 12:44 (UTC +04:00)
Iran denies presence of undeclared nuclear material
Elnur Baghishov
Elnur Baghishov
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 10. There is no undeclared nuclear material in Iran, as was reflected in the statement of Iran's Permanent Representation to the UN, Trend reports.

Iran has so far demonstrated adherence to its obligations under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and has made every effort to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to continue its verification activities in Iran.

It has been repeatedly stated by Iran that there are no locations in Iran that require disclosure under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. Iran's nuclear activities remain peaceful under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Accordingly, there is no legal basis for deep concern about this.

The discovery of natural uranium remains in the Marivan County of Iran’s Kurdistan Province in the west of the country, cannot be considered as a sign of the presence of nuclear materials.

Iran has increased all its efforts to discover the origin of such remains within the framework of cooperation with the IAEA. Iran has explained its views on the possible reasons for the presence of uranium remnants. Since no technical reason has been found for the presence of a uranium stockpile in Iran, it is logical that foreign forces may have intervened in this matter through provocative or hostile actions.

The Turquzabad point located in Iran’s Tehran Province in the north of the country, is an industrial area that is used to store detergents, chemicals, food items, auto spare parts, etc., and continuous transportation is normal. Based on this, the allegations made regarding the disappearance of some containers stored in this place do not reflect reality.

Issues in Iran's nuclear activities, such as existing centrifuges, production of new centrifuges, heavy water, and uranium ore concentrate, are completely outside the comprehensive safeguards agreement. Any steps in this direction are voluntary and related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, there is no link between ensuring the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program and increasing knowledge of Iran's nuclear program activities.

On May 26 through May 31, 2023, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, presented a report to the agency's Board of Directors regarding Iran's nuclear program.

In January 2016, JCPOA was launched between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany) in connection with Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the deal and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. To preserve the agreements reached as part of the JCPOA, the European signatories of the deal started in January 2019 that a financial mechanism for maintaining trade with Iran called INSTEX was formed.

On May 8, 2019, Iran announced that it had ceased fulfilling its commitments regarding the sale of over 300 kilograms of uranium, as stated in the deal, basing its decision on the other signatories that have not fulfilled their obligations. On July 7, Iran announced that it will not be fulfilling its commitments regarding the enrichment of uranium at 3.67 percent and the reconstruction of the Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility as stated in the deal.

Iran announced that it will enrich uranium using next-generation centrifuges and will not mix it with the enriched uranium residues as part of the third step of reducing commitments in JCPOA on Sept.5. On Nov. 5, 2019, Iran announced that it took the fourth step in connection with reducing its commitments to the nuclear agreement. So, uranium gas is being pumped to the centrifuges at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.

On Jan.2020, Iran took the last fifth step in reducing the number of its commitments within JCPOA.

On May 8, 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany), and imposed new sanctions against Iran as of November 2018.

Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports, more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.

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