The Twenty-Seven are worried. The European Union on Sunday (September 17th) called on Iran to reverse its decision to withdraw the accreditation of several inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), responsible for monitoring its nuclear program. "The EU urges Iran to review its decision without delay," a spokesman for the Twenty-Seven said.

Brussels, which is acting as coordinator for the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, known by the acronym JCPOA, is "very worried," he added. "The direct and severe impact of this decision on the agency's ability to conduct its verification activities, which includes monitoring" the JCPOA, "is particularly worrying," he said.

Iran has withdrawn the accreditation of several inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) responsible for monitoring its nuclear program, the UN body announced Saturday, condemning an "unprecedented" move.

With this measure, which comes after another recent case, "Iran has removed a third of the central group" of experts, which "directly and drastically" affects the ability of the IAEA to carry out its mission and ensure the peaceful nature of nuclear activities, regretted Saturday its director general Rafael Grossi.

It is "one more step in the wrong direction" and "deals an unnecessary blow to an already tense relationship," he said, calling on the government to "review its position" and "rectify the situation".

For more than two years now, the IAEA has struggled to control Iran's nuclear program, which continues to grow despite Tehran denying that it wants to acquire an atomic bomb.

According to an Iranian media and a Western diplomat, eight inspectors are concerned, all French or German.

The Islamic Republic said it took the step in response to a warning issued this week by the United States and European E3 countries (France, Germany and the United Kingdom) at the Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, headquarters of the IAEA.

Iran has gradually reneged on commitments made under the 2015 deal, in response to President Donald Trump's 2018 US withdrawal.

The pact was supposed to limit Iran's atomic activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. Discussions in Vienna by various stakeholders to revive it broke down last year.

With AFP

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