A blow to 'Israel': IAEA closes file on 'undeclared' Iranian site

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
31 May 2023 20:31
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In a separate IAEA report, the UN nuclear watchdog claims Iran has significantly increased its stockpile of enriched uranium in recent months.

A flag with the logo of the International Atomic Energy Agency waves in front of the agency's headquarters, in Vienna, Austria, on March 1, 2021 (Reuters)

In a blow to the Israeli occupation, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has decided to close the file relating to nuclear material at an allegedly "undeclared site" that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu brought up in a speech in September 2019, after receiving a "possible explanation" from Iran, a report by the UN nuclear watchdog seen by AFP confirmed on Wednesday.

The IAEA "has no additional questions... and the matter is no longer outstanding at this stage," the report indicated of the site at Marivan in Abedeh County.

The IAEA had reported the discovery of traces of radioactive material at three allegedly "undeclared sites" by Iran.

The Marivan site in the southern province of Fars is the first to be addressed under a work plan agreed upon by Iran and the IAEA in March. The other two sites are Varamin and Turquzabad.

Touching on the matter, Israeli journalist Barak Ravid tweeted, "This is a dramatic decision by the IAEA that closes one of the most significant open investigations against Iran in recent years, calling it "a severe blow to Israel."

IAEA claims Iran significantly increased stockpile of enriched uranium

In a separate IAEA confidential report seen by AFP, the UN nuclear watchdog claimed that Iran has significantly increased its stockpile of enriched uranium in recent months.

The reports came days before the board of governors of the IAEA is due to meet to review progress in addressing the watchdog's remaining concerns.

The nuclear watchdog alleged in its report that Iran's estimated stockpile of enriched uranium had reached more than 23 times the limit set out in the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

It is noteworthy that Iran has always denied any ambition to develop a nuclear weapons capability, stressing that its activities are entirely peaceful.

Tehran has repeatedly dismissed Western-influenced IAEA reports that it increased its stockpile of enriched uranium

A couple of days ago, Israeli media expressed fears regarding an interim nuclear agreement between Iran and the West.

The political affairs correspondent of the Israeli Kan channel said the Israeli occupation worries that the United States partially lifts sanctions imposed against Iran, which in practice would lift the economic burden off Tehran and allow it to flourish.

The correspondent further stressed that the speculated deal would be different than the old one that was established between Iran and the West which was later halted by the Trump administration, but instead, this deal would hold different clauses.