Iran reportedly agrees to reactivate nuclear surveillance cameras after visit by IAEA chief
Following a visit to Tehran by the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, Iran reportedly agreed to reactivate surveillance cameras at key nuclear facilities.
In addition, Tehran will reportedly facilitate more inspections, following talks that the Grossi described as “constructive.” The overall purpose of the monitoring mechanism is to detect uranium that is enriched to the 90% weapons-grade level.
Following his return to the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Grossi said there had been “a reduction in monitoring activities related to cameras and monitoring systems” and emphasized the importance of restarting nuclear surveillance cameras at Iran’s controversial nuclear facilities.
“We have agreed that those will be operating again,” the nuclear watchdog chief said. “This is very, very important, in particular in the context of the possibility of the revival of JCPOA.”
The JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, refers to the controversial Obama-led nuclear agreement between Iran and the world powers in 2015. Israel's then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu famously called the JCPOA “a bad deal” and appealed directly to the U.S. Congress to stand against it.
Grossi stressed that the resumption of surveillance cameras at Iran’s nuclear sites would create a basis for future cooperation between Iran and the U.N. watchdog.
“We have put a tourniquet on the bleeding of information and lack of continuity of knowledge we had – now we can start working again. These are not words, this is very concrete,” said Grossi.
In late February, the IAEA expressed alarm that Iran’s uranium enrichment had reached 84%; dangerously close to the 90% weapons-grade level. Initially denying this, Tehran ultimately confirmed that its uranium enrichment had, indeed, reached 84%.
Many fear that nuclear bombs in the hands of Iran’s ayatollah regime would trigger a dangerous nuclear arms race in the already volatile Middle East and the State of Israel is further concerned by Iran's public vow to wipe the Jewish state off the map.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
