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Iran’s state-run news agency reported on Tuesday that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have closed off two lines of inquiry over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The inquiry aimed to look further at a discovery that Iran was enriching uranium up to 83.7% purity as well as investigating traces of man-made uranium found at Marivan which analysts link to Iran’s secret nuclear programme.
Although the IAEA is yet to comment, they are due to publish a report on Iran’s nuclear programme, in the next couple of days. The report is expected to reveal that Iran has increased the amount of uranium it has enriched to the near-weapons-grade level of 60% and now has enough to build two nuclear bombs.
Responding to the allegations of the IAEA closing their enquiries, the Israeli Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that this is “a matter of grave concern” which “could have extremely dangerous consequences”. “It conveys a message to the Iranians that they are not required to pay a price for their violations and that they can continue to deceive the international community on their way to achieving a full military nuclear programme”, the statement added.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant noted that “the dangers facing the State of Israel are intensifying, and we may be required to fulfil our duty in order to protect the integrity of Israel, and especially about the future of the Jewish people”.
Yesterday, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi met with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Washington. They discussed “enhanced coordination” on the Iranian nuclear threat and shared concern of the deepening military relationship between Russia and Iran.
Israel is understood to be pushing for a statement of condemnation to be issued at the end of the IAEA’s Board of Governors meeting set to take place next week.
