VIENNA, March 6 (KUNA) -- The US said Wednesday that it is still worried about Iran's nuclear activities, despite a slight decrease in enriched uranium stockpile by 60 percent mentioned by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency in his latest periodic report.
Addressing the IAEA Board of Governors' meeting of nuclear monitoring and verification operations in Iran under the Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), US Ambassador Laura Holgate said Iran continued expanding its nuclear programs and installing advanced centrifuges, and produce highly enriched uranium that runs counter to harnessing for only peaceful purposes.
She said "the United States extends its appreciation to the Director General for his report on verification and monitoring in Iran in light of UN Security Council resolution 2231.
She indicated that as the DG's report makes clear, despite a very modest reduction in Iran's stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium, Iran's nuclear activities remain deeply troubling.
"Let us be clear: we continue to have serious concerns related to the stockpile of highly enriched uranium that Iran continues to maintain," she said.
Holgate pointed out that no other country today is producing uranium enriched to 60 percent for the purpose Iran claims and Iran's actions are counter to the behavior of all other non-nuclear weapons states party to the NPT.
"Iran should downblend all, not just some, of its 60 percent stockpile, and stop all production of uranium enriched to 60 percent entirely.
"The Director General underscores that Iran continues to act in a manner that, I quote, "directly and seriously affects the Agency's ability to conduct effectively its verification activities in Iran, in particular at the enrichment facilities." Iran's actions have severed the Agency's continuity of knowledge regarding its production and inventory of centrifuge components, which is essential to the international community's confidence in the absence of undeclared enrichment activities in Iran, particularly in light of Iran's past track record of hiding enrichment activities and facilities, she made clear.
"Iran's continued nuclear escalations are especially concerning given that Iran ended its application of the Additional Protocol and refuses to implement its obligations under modified Code 3.1. Iran is the only State with a comprehensive safeguards agreement and significant nuclear activities that refuses to implement its obligations under this Code.
"In this context, we note with increasing alarm the Director General's conclusion that Iran's actions continue to undermine the Agency's ability to provide assurance of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program.
"Iran's September decision to de-designate experienced Agency inspectors has seriously affected the Agency's verification activities. Such actions are deeply counterproductive, and we reiterate the Director General's call on Iran to reverse them," Holgate said.
She said this move follows Iran's undeclared modification of advanced centrifuge cascades at Fordow last year, in clear violation of Iran's safeguards obligations, and the Agency's subsequent detection at the facility of uranium particles enriched to more than 80 percent. Holgate noted Iran's actions have intensified tensions and pushed unprecedented boundaries, calling on Iran to take steps to build international confidence rather than continue to undermine the Agency's essential assurances. (end) amq.hm