Iran rejects IAEA concerns after report highlights surge in enriched uranium stockpile
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi (AP file photo)
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Mariano Grossi early Sunday, amid rising tensions over a confidential UN report that flagged Iran's growing stockpile of uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels.
In a post on Telegram, Araghchi said he reaffirmed Iran's 'continuous cooperation' with the UN's nuclear watchdog during the call. He also urged Grossi to ensure the agency is not misused by 'certain parties' to pursue 'political agendas against the Iranian people.' The IAEA has yet to comment publicly on the phone conversation.
The IAEA report, accessed by the Associated Press, expressed 'serious concern' over Iran becoming 'the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such material.'
The report disclosed that as of May 17, Iran had stockpiled 408.6 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent — nearly 50 percent more than recorded in February. Uranium enriched to 60 percent is just a technical step away from the 90 percent level needed for nuclear weapons.
While Araghchi claimed that all nuclear activities were being conducted in accordance with existing agreements and under the agency's oversight, the report also noted that Iran's cooperation had been 'less than satisfactory,' particularly regarding unexplained uranium traces found at undeclared sites.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Soluções de energia de confiança para Data Centers de IA
Siemens Energy
Read More
Undo
Responding on Sunday, Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi pushed back against the IAEA's concerns, stating: 'So long as a country's nuclear activities are under the IAEA's monitoring, there is no cause for concern. The Islamic Republic of Iran is neither pursuing nuclear weapons nor does it possess any undeclared nuclear materials or activities.' He added that of the 682 inspections conducted by the IAEA across 32 countries, 493 had taken place in Iran.
The Araghchi-Grossi call came shortly after Omani foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi — mediating indirect talks between Iran and the United States — met Iranian officials in Tehran. He delivered Washington's latest proposal in an effort to revive negotiations aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear development in exchange for sanctions relief. The most recent round of talks concluded in Rome last week with what al-Busaidi described as 'some but not conclusive progress.
'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
40 minutes ago
- Indian Express
US probing Adani Group link to Iran LPG trade, says report; firm calls it ‘baseless, mischievous'
Prosecutors in the US are investigating whether Indian businessman Gautam Adani's companies imported Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) into India through the Adani Group's Mundra port, despite US sanctions on Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. This comes at a time when the Trump administration is rolling back on the enforcement of certain white-collar crimes, including cases related to foreign bribery and sanctions evasion. Tankers travelling between Mundra in Gujarat and the Persian Gulf exhibited traits common to ships evading sanctions, the WSJ report said. The US Justice Department is reviewing the activities of several LPG tankers used to ship cargoes to Adani Enterprises, it said. In a statement, the Adani Group said the report was 'baseless and mischievous'. 'Adani categorically denies any deliberate engagement in sanctions evasion or trade involving Iranian-origin LPG. Further, we are not aware of any investigation by US authorities on this subject,' it said. 'The WSJ's story appears to be based entirely on incorrect assumptions and speculation. Any suggestion that Adani Group entities are knowingly in contravention of US sanctions on Iran is strongly denied. Any assertion to the contrary would not only be slanderous but also deemed to be an intentional act to injure the reputation and interests of the Adani Group,' the statement said. 'The rights of Adani Group entities and personnel in this regard are expressly reserved.' Earlier, US President Donald Trump had warned that any country or person buying oil or petrochemicals from Iran would face immediate secondary sanctions, effectively barring them from doing business with the US. Trump made this statement in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, emphasising that such entities would not be allowed to engage in any form of business with the US. This warning is apparently part of Trump's 'maximum pressure' campaign against Iran, aimed at completely shutting down the country's oil exports. Trump accused Iran of financing militant groups and emphasised the need to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb. His comments appear to be directed at China, which imports over 1 million barrels per day from Iran. But US sanctions are unlikely to impact Iranian oil flowing to China, unless the White House targets Beijing's state-owned enterprises and infrastructure. Trump has taken a tough stand on Iran, including pulling the US out of the nuclear agreement negotiated by former President Barack Obama. This move is consistent with his earlier decision to impose secondary tariffs on countries buying oil from Venezuela, another OPEC member. The implications of these sanctions and tariffs will likely have far-reaching consequences for the global oil market and US relations with key players like China and Iran. The investigation into the Adani Group's alleged import of Iranian LPG comes at a time when the US administration is easing enforcement of white-collar crimes. The rollback on the enforcement of certain types of white-collar crimes, including cases related to foreign bribery, public corruption, money laundering and crypto markets, came after Trump signed an executive order directing the US Justice Department to halt prosecuting Americans accused of bribing foreign officials to secure overseas business deals. At the Justice Department, Attorney General Pam Bondi has ordered prosecutors to focus their anti-money-laundering and sanctions-evasion attention on drug cartels and international crime organisations. It says the administration is effectively redefining what constitutes a crime in some business conduct cases. These decisions aim to provide relief to US citizens, but may also benefit companies and executives facing charges in US courts, like key executives of the Adani Group who are currently facing bribery charges. According to sources, the new policy could potentially provide relief to Azure Power — which had a contract (a build, operate and transfer deal) with an Adani Group firm for building a solar project that had come under the scanner for alleged bribery allegations — and, by extension, the Adani Group.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Punjab and Haryana high court declines to direct Punjab to appoint spy's son as Sub-Inspector, cites lack of policy
Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court has declined to direct Punjab to appoint a man as a sub-inspector (S-I) in the state police despite his father serving as an undercover agent and enduring a decade in a Pakistan prison following his capture for espionage. The court noted that in the absence of an established policy providing such appointments, it was not in a position to compel the state to act. Justice Jagmohan Bansal has passed the orders while dismissing a plea filed by Neeraj Sharma seeking directions to set aside the order dated Feb 7, 2024, and other orders of different dates whereby the Punjab govt rejected his representations for appointment as S-I in the state police. The petitioner claimed that his father, a spy with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), was apprehended by the Pakistan Army in Dec 1968. He was tried by a military court and awarded a sentence of 10 years. He was released in Dec 1974 and returned to India via the Wagah-Attari border, Amritsar. Through an application dated Aug 6, 2008, he requested then chief minister to help him like Kashmir Singh, a Hoshiarpur resident who was jailed for nearly 35 years in Pakistan on charges of spying and released in March 2008. Ferozepur deputy commissioner (DC), in a letter dated Nov 27, 2013, intimated that the monthly income of the family was around Rs 6,000 and they had only one house measuring 3 Marla. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Soluções de energia de confiança para Data Centers de IA Siemens Energy Learn More Undo On Dec 24, 2014, the CM sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 50,000. The petitioner submitted an application dated July 7, 2018, to the CM to give him a job like similarly situated persons. His father died on Oct 22, 2018. A communication took place between different authorities and ultimately, the petitioner, despite possessing qualifications of DPharmacy and BSc (medical), was offered the post of constable, which he took up. However, his pleas for appointment to the higher post of S-I were rejected. In his plea before the HC, his counsel submitted that the petitioner is a highly qualified person, and the state has offered Class-B posts to similarly situated persons. On the grounds of parity, the petitioner should be given the post of at least assistant sub-inspector instead of constable. Responding to the plea, the Punjab govt submitted that there is no policy of the state to make appointments as claimed by the petitioner. After hearing all the parties, the bench observed that the court, in the absence of an express or implied policy of the state govt, cannot direct authorities to consider the petitioner for a higher rank, especially when he has already been offered and appointed as a constable without complying with the terms and conditions applicable to the post. MSID:: 121570821 413 |
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Scrap approval for Dharavi redevpt masterplan: Congress MP to CM
Mumbai: Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday and submitted a letter demanding that the govt's approval given last week for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project's (DRP) masterplan be scrapped. She also challenged "Fadnavis and his Adani Sarkar" to hold a public hearing on the masterplan. Posting TOI's ground reports on local resistance to the ongoing eligibility survey in Dharavi on X, she asked how the masterplan was cleared without public consultations or inviting suggestions and objections as mandated under MRTP Act for draft development plans. The project is among the largest urban transformation schemes in the world and is being implemented by Navbharat Mega Developers Private Ltd. It is an SPV between the state govt and Adani group , which holds 80% stake. Speaking to TOI, the project's CEO, SVR Srinivas, clarified that the masterplan was not a development plan (DP) and that public suggestions and objections would be invited when changes are made in the future to the Dharavi DP, which was published in 2016. "The masterplan lays out the broad strategy. It is not a DP which gives details on land use. There is an existing DP for Dharavi which was published in 2016. When changes are made to that 2016 Dharavi DP, we will be inviting suggestions and objections," said Srinivas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Après 60 ans, vos genoux vous font souffrir ? Essayez ceci Confort genou Undo He also said the masterplan was based on the 2016 DP. "There is over 90% consonance between the 2016 DP and the masterplan," he said. Gaikwad referred to the project as a "mega land-grab". "This is not a development plan but a master-plan for the most unjust mass displacement in urban India's history," she said on X. She also called it "Adani's Dharavi Vinash Master Plan." Gaikwad said barely 40% of the survey documentation work was complete after three years, an indication of the "massive public unrest" about the project. She also asked why the survey was being conducted by "Adani's men" instead of the land-owning govt agencies, as is the case in such projects. "Threats, force, and undue pressure have been put on people to participate in the survey," she alleged. She also said the govt should put the list of those found eligible and ineligible in the public domain. In response, Srinivas told TOI the bulk of local tenements were surveyed. "Around 1 lakh tenements have already been surveyed. Only around 20,000 are remaining. We have issued multiple notices for people to come forward and participate in the survey because we do not want to exclude anyone," said Srinivas. He said the DRP conducted a drone survey in 2023 and a LiDAR survey to map the area. He denied charges that "Adani's men" were conducting the survey to identify eligible tenements. "As in most SRA projects, the survey is being conducted by an agency. It is being financed by the Adani group. But a govt official is present during the survey and all receipts are issued by the govt official," said Srinivas.
