
Written by – Elijah J. Magnier:
Iran’s policy towards the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cannot be separated from current events in the Middle East and Ukraine. Iran has adopted a positive approach towards the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in order not to divert attention from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The flexibility shown by Tehran has de-escalated a dangerous situation that could have led to a new international crisis. Iranian officials have recently shown rare tolerance in cooperating with the IAEA to satisfy the agency and Western partners following the discovery of accumulated traces of highly enriched uranium.
Iran has taken a positive approach to the IAEA in order to avoid distracting attention from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Tehran has de-escalated a dangerous situation that could have sparked a new international crisis and satisfied the IAEA and Western partners following the discovery of accumulated traces of highly enriched uranium at 83.7%.
The IAEA Board of Governors has scheduled its next meeting in June to discuss the outcome of the cooperation between the Agency’s Director General, Rafael Grossi, and Tehran, following his recent visit where he met with President Ibrahim Raisi. Grossi’s visit was followed by other scheduled official meetings between the Agency and Iranian officials to discuss the details of cooperation. Iran believes that the Director did not go to Iran on his own initiative in order to avoid escalation on both sides. Secret messages from several envoys from Europe, Qatar and Oman have confirmed that the US intends to de-escalate with Iran and is not interested in any Israeli attempt to be dragged into a war that Washington wants to avoid at all costs.
Furthermore, Iran has been advised by China and Russia to avoid confrontation at this stage and to comply with the IAEA’s demands, especially after Israel raised its voice calling for war against Iran with the US administration, which has no appetite to satisfy Israel. Western countries, including Britain, France and Germany, tried to take a hard line, calling for Tehran to be punished for not cooperating with the IAEA.
Iran was accused of withholding information about three nuclear sites where traces of uranium were found. Iran says this is a planned intelligence operation to sabotage Iran’s relations with the IAEA. After the US withdrew from the nuclear deal, it was not until President Joe Biden took office that Iran began to increase its enrichment rate from 5 per cent to 60 per cent. This set off alarm bells in Israel, America, Europe and several Middle Eastern countries, which threatened to acquire nuclear weapons if Iran built a military nuclear arsenal.
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