Latest news with #Varamin
Fox News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
UN's nuclear watchdog warns its unable to confirm Iran's program is 'entirely peaceful'
Iran's refusal to play ball with the United Nation's nuclear watchdog, which is charged with monitoring all nations' nuclear programs, has meant the body cannot verify whether Tehran's program is "entirely peaceful" despite the regime's claims. Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, on Monday issued a warning statement that the agency has not only long been barred access to old and new nuclear sites, but that Iran has scrubbed locations in an apparent move to cover up its activities. In 2020, the IAEA found man-made particles of enriched uranium at three sites, including Varamin, Marivan and Turquzabad. The locations were previously utilized in Iran's nuclear program and gave the agency credence to believe Tehran had once again turned to deadly nuclear ambitions. "Since then, we have been seeking explanations and clarifications from Iran for the presence of these uranium particles, including through a number of high-level meetings and consultations in which I have been personally involved," Grossi said. "Unfortunately, Iran has repeatedly either not answered, or not provided technically credible answers to, the Agency's questions. "It has also sought to sanitize the locations, which has impeded Agency verification activities," he added. Grossi, who confirmed during an April trip to Washington, D.C. that the IAEA has not been involved in nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, said on Monday that he has been working "closely and intensively" with both parties in "support of their bilateral negotiation[s]." The warning comes after the IAEA in a report late last month, also confirmed that Iran had drastically increased its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium by nearly 35% in three months. In February, the IAEA assessed that Tehran possessed 274.8 kilograms (605.8 pounds) worth of uranium enriched to 60%, but on May 17th it found Iran now has some 408.6 kilograms (900.8 pounds) – meaning the regime is just a technical step away from being able to make up to 10 nuclear warheads. Last week, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei came out in strong opposition to a U.S. proposal submitted to Tehran to end its nuclear program, though it remains unclear what details were included in the document, including on enrichment capabilities, and on Sunday, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf claimed the proposal didn't include any sanction relief. The White House has remained tight-lipped about what was included in the document, though according to some reporting, President Donald Trump gave Iran until June 11 to reach a deal with the U.S., though Fox News Digital could not independently verify these claims. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that "The U.S. proposal is not acceptable to us. It was not the result of previous rounds of negotiations." "We will present our own proposal to the other side via Oman after it is finalized. This proposal is reasonable, logical, and balanced," Baghaei reportedly said. Some reporting has also suggested Iran might submit their proposal as soon as June 10, though the Iranian UN mission in the U.S. would not comment on or confirm these claims.
The National
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Iran operated three secret nuclear sites until early 2000s, UN watchdog says
Iran had at least three undeclared nuclear sites until the early 2000s, but refuses to provide 'credible answers" about its activities there, the UN's nuclear watchdog said on Monday. The three sites, Varamin, Marivan and Turquzabad, were accessed by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2019 and 2020. Uranium particles were detected at the sites. But the agency's efforts to obtain an explanation have gone unanswered, said the IAEA director general Rafael Grossi. 'Unfortunately, Iran has repeatedly either not answered, or not provided, technically credible answers to the agency's questions,' he said at the quarterly board meeting on Monday. This included high-level meetings and consultations, he added. Mr Grossi last week met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Cairo, along with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. The lack of answers has meant the IAEA could not conclude that Iran's nuclear programme is "entirely peaceful", as Tehran has long claimed, Mr Grossi said. He accused Tehran of seeking to 'sanitise the locations', which he said has impeded the agency's work. Details of the three sites were revealed in the IAEA's quarterly report, which was widely leaked last week. It found that Iran had an estimated 400kg of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent as of May 17, marking an increase of more than 133kg since the last report in February. Uranium needs to be enriched to about 90 per cent to develop nuclear weapons. The amount of material is enough to produce 10 weapons if refined to that level. "The agency's comprehensive assessment of what took place, based on our technical evaluation of all available safeguards-relevant information, has led us to conclude that these three locations, and other possible related locations, were part of an undeclared structured nuclear programme carried out by Iran until the early 2000s and that some activities used undeclared nuclear material," Mr Grossi said. He suggested the nuclear material produced at the sites was 'still outside of safeguards'. The announcement comes as Iran holds indirect negotiations with the US over its nuclear programme. Mr Grossi said he supported the negotiations and called for a diplomatic solution that would include arrangements for the IAEA to properly verify Iran's stockpile of nuclear material. 'I will continue to support and encourage the US and Iran to spare no effort and exercise wisdom and political courage to bring this to a successful conclusion,' he added. 'The effect of a stabilised situation in Iran with regards to its nuclear programme will be immediate and bring the Middle East one big step closer to peace and prosperity."
Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
3 Indians who went missing in Iran after kidnapping rescued by police
Three Indian men who had gone missing in Iran have been rescued by Tehran police, the Iranian Embassy in India claimed on Tuesday. "Three missing Indian citizens freed by Tehran police. Local media in Iran say police have found and released three Indian men who had gone missing in Iran," the Iranian Embassy said in its X post. According to a report by Iran's Mehr News Agency (MNA), "The kidnapping of the three Indian men was reported to Tehran police on May 1." The three men, all from Punjab, had arrived in Iran on May 1 while on their way to Australia. A local travel company had promised them well-paying jobs in Australia. However, they went missing shortly after reaching Iran. The Iranian Embassy in India had earlier said on May 29 that the case was under investigation. The case of the three Indian nationals was being followed up by the consular affairs department of Iran's foreign ministry in coordination with relevant judicial authorities, MNA, citing the Embassy, said. Mehr News, citing another Tehran-based news agency, added that the three men were rescued in a police operation against their captors in Varamin, a town located in southern Tehran. Meanwhile, India also confirmed on May 29 that it was in touch with Iranian authorities to locate the three missing nationals and had received good cooperation from the Iranian side, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. Addressing a press briefing, Jaiswal said, "We are extending all possible help to the family members of the three persons who are missing." When asked about the missing Indians and incidents involving ransom calls from Pakistan in recent months, he responded, "You would have seen a statement made by our embassy as well in Iran. The three Indian nationals who had landed there some time back are missing, and we are in touch with the Iranian authorities to locate them for their safety and security and eventual return home. We are in daily touch with the authorities there. We are receiving good cooperation from the Iranian side. And we are also in touch with the families. Obviously, family members in such situations have their own anxiety, etc. So, we are extending all possible help. Hopefully, we'll be able to do our best in this situation." Clarifying further, he added, "February was a different issue. What we are talking about are three Indian nationals who went to Iran recently in May." The Indian Embassy in Iran had said that the family members of the missing men informed them after the three went missing following their travel to Iran. In a statement on X, the Indian Embassy said, "Family members of three Indian citizens have informed the Embassy of India that their relatives are missing after having travelled to Iran. The embassy has strongly taken up this matter with the Iranian authorities, and requested that the missing Indians should be urgently traced and their safety should be ensured. We are also keeping the family members regularly updated of the efforts being made by the embassy."
