The UN nuclear watchdog said Wednesday a technical team will visit Tehran on Sunday aiming to resolve a years-long impasse over an inquiry into undeclared uranium particles found in Iran.

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has for years been calling on Iran to explain the presence of undeclared man-made uranium found at three sites, requesting "access to locations and material" as well as the collection of samples.

"At the invitation of Iran, an IAEA technical team will be in Tehran on Sunday", an IAEA spokeswoman said.

The December 18 visit is aimed at "addressing the outstanding safeguards issues previously reported", she added.

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi is not expected to visit Iran this time.

Earlier Wednesday, Iran had said that IAEA officials would visit the country to settle "ambiguities" over claims of secret activities.

The issue has increasingly frustrated efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, that has been on life support since the United States unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump.

"Our interactions with the agency are ongoing, and we hope that we can make effective progress with the agency in order to resolve the obstacles and ambiguities," Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told reporters in Tehran.

An IAEA delegation had initially planned to travel to Tehran last month, but the visit did not take place after the agency's board of governors deplored Iran's lack of cooperation in providing "technically credible" answers.

In the absence of progress, the agency says it cannot guarantee the authenticity and integrity of Iran's nuclear programme.

Last Friday, Eslami said traces of enriched uranium found in Iran were brought into the country from abroad.

The 2015 agreement gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme to guarantee that Tehran could not develop a nuclear weapon -- something it has always denied seeking to do.

Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

UK spy, defence chiefs among 32 sanctioned by Iran
Tehran (AFP) Dec 12, 2022
Iran on Monday sanctioned the heads of the UK's domestic spy agency and military along with British and German political figures, hitting back at Europe before it imposes new sanctions of its own. At his weekly press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani blamed the Europeans and British for "intervening in the domestic affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran" and said the sanctions "are coming into effect today." Britain and Germany have been particularly vocal in their criticism ... read more