IAEA Official to Make ‘Routine’ Visit to Iran This Week
The deputy head of the International Atomic Energy Agency will visit Iran this week, according to an Iranian official.
The visit by the United Nations nuclear watchdog deputy head, Massimo Aparo, will take place this week, Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to Vienna-based International Organizations Kazem Gharibabadi said on Saturday, according to state media.
The purpose of the visit is in line with routine safeguards activities in the context of the CSA,” or Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, Gharibabadi said. He also said that no talks are planned while Aparo is in Tehran.
The visit comes as Iran says it is still deciding whether it will extend an agreement with the IAEA to continue monitoring its nuclear sites, which expired last week. In addition, Iran has restricted the access of nuclear inspectors to its main uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, since an attack at the site in April that Iran blames on Israel.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant went back on-line after being shut down two weeks ago for what was described as an overhaul and repairs.
The Bushehr plant was constructed with the help of Russia, and is fueled by uranium produced in Russia. Iran has said in recent months that it had not been able to purchase parts and equipment for the plant from Russia due to crippling economic sanctions placed on it by the United States in 2018 when it left the nuclear agreement with Iran and other world powers.
