Nuclear: Iran withdraws surveillance cameras, the IAEA and the United States rise up
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria, June 7, 2021. REUTERS - LEONHARD FOEGER
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
Iran has reacted strongly to the resolution of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) presented by the United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom which criticizes the lack of cooperation of Tehran with the UN agency.
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With our correspondent in Tehran
,
Siavosh Ghazi
This is a new gesture of defiance by Iran against Western countries.
In response to the IAEA's Board of Governors
, Tehran disconnected 27 agency surveillance cameras and shut down other equipment.
Now, there are only about forty cameras left in working order.
The head of the UN agency, Rafael Grossi, deplored
Tehran
's decision , saying that it would considerably reduce the means of the IAEA to monitor Tehran's nuclear activities.
This measure “
naturally poses a serious challenge to our ability to continue working there
,” he said, referring to a “
fatal blow
” to discussions on this file.
“
What we see is that we are in a very tense situation, with negotiations on the relaunch of the nuclear agreement, at an all time low, if I can put it that way.
And our bilateral process with Iran on clarifying a number of outstanding issues has not been successful so far
,” he added.
“An aggravated nuclear crisis”
But obviously, Iran has decided to cross swords with the West.
“
How many times you have to repeat the same experience with the Iranian people.
You believe that by adopting a resolution in the Security Council, we are going to back down.
In the name of God and the great people of Iran, we will not back down one iota from our position
,” President Ebrahim Raisi said.
Iran has also decided to install
faster and more modern
centrifuges at its Natanz site.
This will allow Tehran to accelerate its uranium enrichment.
The IR-6 devices are ten times faster and more powerful than the old IR-1s.
Tehran's decision comes as negotiations between Iran and the major powers to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement allowing the lifting of American sanctions have been deadlocked for three months.
The United States has warned that the latest "
provocations
" by Tehran risk leading to "
an aggravated nuclear crisis
" and "
increased economic and political isolation of Iran
".
"
We continue to urge Iran to choose the path of diplomacy and de-escalation instead
," US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken said in a statement.
Crisp effect from all sides
According to Jonathan Piron, researcher at the Etopia center in Brussels specializing in Iran, the current situation is in fact the result of tensions both Iranian and American, he analyzed for Oriane Verdier, from the international service of RFI.
According to Jonathan Piron, the situation is the result of “tensions on both sides”
Oriane Verdier
For Jonathan Piron, we should think about what the Islamic Republic may be playing on several possible tables, according to his analysis, delivered for Oriane Verdier, from the international service of RFI.
According to Jonathan Piron, the situation is the result of “tensions on both sides”
Oriane Verdier
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