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At the heart of Iran’s aversion to a major conflict are the domestic issues that have been preoccupying the regime. Iran is also facing an economic crisis because of corruption, chronic fiscal mismanagement and sanctions imposed because of its nuclear infractions. At the time, Mr. Khamenei worried that unless the regime got the process right, its Western and domestic enemies would use the vacuum at the top to overthrow the young theocracy. Today, Iran’s Assembly of Experts, a body of 88 elderly clerics, is constitutionally empowered to select the next supreme leader. At a time when the bomb seems tantalizingly close, Mr. Khamenei is unlikely to jeopardize that progress by conduct that might invite a strike on those facilities.
Persons: Ali Khamenei, Mahsa, Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, Ahmad Khatami, Rahim Tavakol, Mr Organizations: Islamic, Experts Locations: Islamic Republic, Iran, Republic, Iran’s, Ukraine, Gaza, Tehran
By Francois MurphyVIENNA (Reuters) - Iran's barring of some of the U.N. nuclear watchdog's most experienced and expert inspectors from the team allowed to operate there is a "very serious blow" to the agency's work, the watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday. One diplomat put the number of inspectors barred in this wave at eight, all of them French and German. That left only one enrichment expert in the team assigned to Iran, they added. They also were inspectors that were familiar with the facilities, had been there for years inspecting the facilities," the senior diplomat said, referring to the de-designated inspectors. The inspector who spotted that change, a Russian enrichment expert, was de-designated later this year, shortly before the others, numerous diplomats said.
Persons: Francois Murphy VIENNA, Rafael Grossi, Grossi, John Irish, Frances Kerry Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Diplomats Locations: Tehran, Iran, Paris
[1/3] The logo of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is seen at the organisation's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, June 5, 2023. Iran's stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% grew by 6.7 kg (14.8 pounds) to 128.3 kg (282.9 pounds) since the last report on Sept. 4, one of the two reports to member states seen by Reuters said. Iran has enough uranium enriched to lower levels for more bombs, but it denies seeking such weapons. Since then the IAEA has narrowed the list of sites to two but little other progress has been made. "The (IAEA) Director General (Grossi) continues to strongly condemn Iran's sudden withdrawal of the designations of several experienced Agency inspectors," it added.
Persons: Leonhard Foeger, Rafael Grossi, John Irish, Toby Chopra, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, REUTERS, Companies Iran, IAEA, International Atomic Energy, Reuters, Governors, Iran's, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, Iran, VIENNA, United States, Gaza, Paris
He also warned that escalating fighting is increasing the danger of a nuclear accident at Europe’s largest nuclear plant in Ukraine. Grossi said he is seeking to re-establish a dialogue with North Korea, which expelled U.N. nuclear weapons inspectors in 2009. Stop it!”Iran has denied impeding the work of IAEA inspectors though it has also been years since its experts have been able to examine surveillance footage. So he has been urging the Ukrainians and Russians not to attack any nuclear plant. There are also some Russian experts and IAEA inspectors who from time to time have acted as “a buffer” and defused some tense situations, Grossi said.
Persons: Rafael Grossi, Grossi, Ebrahim Raisi, ” “, , , hasn’t, ” Grossi, Wang Yi, Wang, Said, “ I'm, Edith M, Lederer Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, General Assembly, International Atomic Energy Agency, Associated Press, Fukushima, IAEA, Foreign Locations: Ukraine, North Korea, China, Beijing, IRAN, Iran, Tehran, Vienna, United States, Ukraine's, Ukrainian, Russian, Pyongyang, , Korea, South Korea, Fukushima, New York
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed Tuesday to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices. The decision “is aimed at strengthening the precautionary measures taken by OPEC+ countries in order to maintain stability and balance of oil markets,” Novak said. There was no immediate reaction in Washington, though U.S. lawmakers have criticized OPEC, Saudi Arabia and Russia over their past production decisions. The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to extend earlier production cuts through next year. But Saudi Arabia also has to manage its relationship with Washington.
Persons: Joe Biden, Alexander Novak, ” Novak, Brent, Biden, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Prince Mohammed, Vladimir Putin Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Brent, Saudi Press Agency, OPEC, Energy Ministry, Benchmark Brent, AAA, Labor, Washington, Washington Post, U.S Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Riyadh, Moscow, Saudi, United States, Ukraine, Washington, U.S, China, Israel, America, Iran, India
Iran and the IAEA announced an agreement in March on re-installing surveillance cameras introduced under a deal with major powers in 2015 but removed at Iran's behest last year. Only a fraction of the cameras and other monitoring devices the IAEA wanted to set up have been installed. Iran's production of uranium enriched to up to 60% has slowed to around 3 kg a month from about 9 kg a month previously, a senior diplomat said. "Of course, Iran claims (the slowdown in enrichment to up to 60%) as a positive, but more HEU (highly enriched uranium) is still more HEU," one Western diplomat said. CAMERAS WITHOUT FOOTAGEIran's stock of uranium enriched to 60% is now almost three times the roughly 42 kg that by the IAEA's definition is theoretically enough, if enriched further, to produce a nuclear bomb.
Persons: Rafael Grossi, State Anthony Blinken, Francois Murphy, Andrew Cawthorne, Ed Osmond, William Maclean Organizations: Reuters, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Governors, State, Agency, Thomson Locations: Iran, VIENNA, Tehran, United States, U.S, centrifuges, Isfahan, Esfahan
Iran holds talks with EU mediator Mora in Qatar
  + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +1 min
[1/2] The Iranian flag flutters in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organisation's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, June 5, 2023. REUTERS/Leonhard FoegerDUBAI, June 21 (Reuters) - Iran held talks in Qatar with the European Union's Enrique Mora, who coordinates talks between Tehran and six powers on reviving a 2015 nuclear pact, top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani tweeted on Wednesday. Talks between Iran and world powers to re-establish a 2015 accord meant to curb Tehran's disputed nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief have stalled since last September. We exchanged views and discussed a range of issues including negotiations on sanctions lifting," Bagheri Kani said in a tweet. Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; editing by Jon Boyle and Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons: Leonhard Foeger DUBAI, Enrique Mora, Ali Bagheri Kani, Bagheri Kani, Donald Trump, Jon Boyle, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, REUTERS, Mora, Dubai Newsroom, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, Iran, Qatar, Tehran, Doha
Having failed to revive a 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Washington hopes to restore some limits on Iran to keep it from getting a nuclear weapon that could threaten Israel and trigger a regional arms race. An Iranian official said: "Call it whatever you want, whether a temporary deal, an interim deal, or a mutual understanding - both sides want to prevent further escalation." U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Rob Malley has also met Iran's ambassador to the U.N. after months of Iran refusing direct contact. The Western official said the key U.S. objective was to keep the nuclear situation from worsening and to avoid a potential clash between Israel and Iran. U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, a Republican, wrote to President Joe Biden on Thursday saying "any arrangement or understanding with Iran, even informal, requires submission to Congress".
Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Miller, Washington, Brett McGurk, Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran Rob Malley, miscalculate, Michael McCaul, Joe Biden, Parisa, John Irish, Arshad Mohammed, Ramu Ayub, Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis, Don Durfee, William Mallard Organizations: U.S . Congress, State Department, U.S . National Security, International Atomic Energy Agency, U.S, . House Foreign, Republican, John, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, PARIS, United States, Iran, Russia, Washington, Israel, Tehran, U.S, de, Ukraine, Oman, Ali Bagheri Kani . U.S, IRAN, ISRAEL, Parisa Hafezi, Dubai, Paris, Saint Paul , Minnesota
[1/2] Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visits the Iranian centrifuges in Tehran, Iran June 11, 2023. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File PhotoDUBAI, June 11 (Reuters) - Iran's supreme leader said on Sunday that a deal with the West over Tehran's nuclear work was possible if the country's nuclear infrastructure remained intact, amid a stalemate between Tehran and Washington to revive a 2015 nuclear pact. "There is nothing wrong with the agreement (with the West), but the infrastructure of our nuclear industry should not be touched," Khamenei said, according to state media. Echoing Iran's official stance for years, Khamenei said the Islamic Republic has never sought to build a nuclear bomb. Khamenei, who has the last say on all state matters such as Iran's nuclear programme, said the country's nuclear authorities should continue working with the U.N. nuclear watchdog "under the framework of safeguards".
Persons: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's, Khamenei, Donald Trump, Parisa Hafezi, Alex Richardson, David Holmes, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Iranian, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS, West, International Atomic Energy, IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, Thomson Locations: Tehran, Iran, DUBAI, Washington, Islamic Republic
Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York and China's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. China has been a major buyer of Iranian oil despite U.S. sanctions designed to choke off these exports. Washington targeted centrifuge sales to Parchin Chemical Industries (PCI), dual-use metals sales to its intermediary, P.B. Co., Ltd, which the Treasury accused of selling centrifuges and other equipment and services worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to PCI with P.B. Sadr and PCI, as well as the other companies, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Persons: Davoud Damghani, Brian Nelson, Sadr, Zhejiang Qingji, Daphne Psaledakis, Doina Chiacu, Susan Heavey, Arshad Mohammed, David Brunnstrom, Chizu Nomiyama, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: . Treasury, Armed Forces Logistics, Terrorism, Financial Intelligence, United Nations, Parchin Chemical Industries, PCI, Zhejiang Qingji, P.B, Treasury, Hong, Hong Kong Ke.Do International Trade Co, Qingdao Zhongrongtong Trade, Co, Thomson Locations: United States, Iran, China, Hong Kong, Beijing, U.S, Washington, Tehran, New York, . Sadr, Zhejiang, Zhejiang Qingji Ind, Sadr, Qingdao
March 20 (Reuters) - Louis Charbonneau covered the UN weapons inspections prior to the Iraq war and later became UN bureau chief. The U.S. was threatening to use military force to rid Iraq of WMD, which the administration of President George W. Bush insisted Iraq was developing in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. Reuters colleagues Evelyn Leopold and Irwin Arieff quickly cobbled together a story on doubts about the Niger uranium intel based on what I dictated. The next morning, I reached out to UN sources for more information on the Niger uranium. The IAEA experts had concluded they weren’t useful for a nuclear weapons program.
Summary IAEA inspectors visited site not controlled by govtInspection postponed since 2022 over security situationWatchdog found 10 barrels of natural uranium missingIAEA sees possible radiological risk, security concernsVIENNA, March 15 (Reuters) - U.N. nuclear watchdog inspectors have found that roughly 2.5 tons of natural uranium have gone missing from a Libyan site that is not under government control, the watchdog told member states in a statement on Wednesday seen by Reuters. IAEA inspectors "found that 10 drums containing approximately 2.5 tons of natural uranium in the form of UOC (uranium ore concentrate) previously declared by (Libya) ... as being stored at that location were not present at the location," the one-page statement said. "The loss of knowledge about the present location of nuclear material may present a radiological risk, as well as nuclear security concerns," it said, adding that reaching the site required "complex logistics". Since 2014, political control has been split between rival eastern and western factions, with the last major bout of conflict ending in 2020. Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
IAEA report says pressing Iran on enrichment to near bomb-grade
  + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
Diplomats said last week that the agency had found the traces at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), where Iran is enriching uranium to up to 60% purity. The International Atomic Energy Agency chided Iran in an earlier report for making substantial changes to those cascades without informing it. The report also said Iran's stock of uranium enriched to up to 60%, which is being produced at two sites, had grown by 25.2 kg to 87.5 kg since the last quarterly report. The total stockpile of uranium enriched to that and lower levels is estimated at 3,760.8 kg, the report said. Iran denies ever having sought nuclear weapons and says it only wants to master nuclear technology for civil uses.
Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan martial ruler in 9/11 wars, dies
  + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com   time to read: +12 min
Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has died in Dubai aged 79 after a long illness, the army said on February 5, 2023. By Sept. 12, then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told Musharraf that Pakistan would either be "with us or against us." They regrouped and the offshoot Pakistani Taliban emerged, beginning a yearslong insurgency in the mountainous border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Though Pakistan under Musharraf launched these operations, the militants still thrived as billions of American dollars flowed into the nation. Born Aug. 11, 1943, in New Delhi, India, Musharraf was the middle son of a diplomat.
The International Atomic Energy Agency found the change during an unannounced inspection on Jan. 21 at the Fordow Fuel enrichment Plant (FFEP), a site dug into a mountain where inspectors are stepping up checks after Iran said it would dramatically expand enrichment. Fordow is so sensitive that the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers banned enrichment there. Since the United States pulled out of the deal in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions against Iran, the Islamic Republic has breached many of the deal's restrictions on its nuclear activities. The IAEA has had regular access to Fordow to carry out verification activities like inspections and it is in talks with Iran on stepping up those activities, the report said. However, some other safeguards measures are still required and are being discussed with Iran," the report added.
Iran has started expanding uranium enrichment to 60 percent purity at an underground site in Fordow days after foreign governments accused Tehran of failing to cooperate with a U.N. investigation into its past nuclear work. Iran last year already embarked on enrichment up to 60 percent elsewhere at an above ground site in Natanz. The 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. It imposed limits on Iran’s nuclear program in return for an easing of U.S. and international sanctions on Iran. As Iran defied the provisions of the 2015 nuclear deal, it faced renewed international criticism over its response to a wave of anti-regime protests that erupted in September.
DUBAI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Iran has started enriching uranium to 60% purity at its underground Fordow nuclear site, according to state media on Tuesday, which described the action as a response to the U.N. nuclear watchdog's demand for more cooperation from Tehran. "In a letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has informed the agency that it has started enriching uranium to 60% purity at Fordow site," the semi-official ISNA news agency reported, adding that it was a "strong response" to the agency's latest resolution. Iran's SNN network said Tehran will also be building a new set of centrifuges at its Natanz and Fordow nuclear sites. In June, Reuters reported that Tehran was escalating its uranium enrichment further by preparing to use advanced IR-6 centrifuges at the Fordow site, which can easily switch between enrichment levels. The IAEA resolution is the second this year targeting Iran over the investigation, which has become an obstacle to talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal because Iran has demanded the probe be ended.
DUBAI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Iran has begun enriching uranium to 60% purity at its underground Fordow nuclear site, the government's nuclear chief said on Tuesday, a move that may irk Western powers pushing Tehran to roll back its nuclear work by reviving a 2015 pact. "We had said that Iran will seriously react to any resolution and political pressure ... that is why Iran has started enriching uranium to 60% purity from Monday at the Fordow site," said Mohammad Eslami, according to Iranian media. The semi-official ISNA news agency reported Iran had informed the agency in a letter about the decision to use "IR-6 advanced centrifuges to produce 60% enriched uranium" at Fordow, a site buried inside a mountain. In June, Reuters reported that Tehran was enhancing its uranium enrichment further by preparing to use IR-6 centrifuges, which can easily switch between enrichment levels, at the Fordow site. "Iran has also started the process of injecting gas into two cascades of IR-2m and IR-4 advanced centrifuges at the Natanz site," state TV reported.
Talks to revive a 2015 accord between Iran and world powers have been at a stalemate since September. Western states accuse Iran of making unreasonable demands after all sides appeared to be nearing a deal. "If these negotiations are not happening, it's because of Iran's position and everything that has happened since (September)," Malley said. The EU, the United States, Canada and Britain have imposed sanctions over human rights abuses in Iran as well as for its drone sales to Moscow. Iran began breaching those terms in 2019 in response to a U.S. withdrawal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump.
The draft resolution was sent to other countries on the 35-nation International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors on Friday ahead of a quarterly meeting that starts on Wednesday. It also comes the day after the IAEA issued a report, also seen by Reuters, on the years-long investigation into the traces. Iran has agreed to hold a meeting with IAEA officials in Tehran after next week's board meeting to make progress in the stalled inquiry. The draft resolution referred to Thursday's IAEA report, which said IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi was "seriously concerned that there has still been no progress". The board passed a similar resolution in June, when only China and Russia opposed it.
[1/2] The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna, Austria, March 1, 2021. The IAEA has said it will not yield to political pressure and its job is to account for all nuclear material. The E3 and the United States will hold talks in Paris on Monday to discuss Iran ahead of the board meeting, two diplomats said. Iran has recently installed hundreds more advanced centrifuges, machines that enrich uranium, at its underground plants at Natanz and Fordow. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, saying its nuclear technology is solely for civil purposes.
That means vineyards - which have for centuries transplanted cuttings to ensure robust and flavourful fruit - are now looking for grape types that are more resistant to climate change. It has determined that vines aged 35 years and older appear to cope better with climate change because they are more genetically diverse. The lab's ultimate goal is to ensure winemakers plant specific vines proven to be "more adaptable to climate change conditions", said Carbonell. "We are very worried about climate change," said Iñigo Torres, director of Grupo Rioja, an association representing 60 wineries that together account for 80% of sales. The grapevines were transplanted after being carefully selected from another vineyard where RODA studies the behaviour of old vines - some up to 110 years old.
VIENNA, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Iran is a problem that is ever more "relevant", the U.N. nuclear watchdog's chief, Rafael Grossi, said on Friday, in an apparent reference to the growing number of advanced centrifuges the Islamic Republic is using to enrich uranium. Asked in an on-stage discussion in Washington how he sees the world today, Grossi started with Iran rather than Ukraine and said it "continues to be a problem". "I see every day through my inspectors how this problem is getting more and more relevant, and I'm choosing a word which is neutral. It's an even more relevant problem every day," Grossi told the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference, without elaborating. He added later that he would not cave to political pressure over his investigation of the uranium traces and his efforts to obtain explanations from Iran on how they came to be there.
These machines are far more efficient than the first-generation IR-1, the only centrifuge that the deal lets Iran use to grow its stock of enriched uranium. Iran has been adding them particularly at two underground sites at Natanz and Fordow that may be designed to withstand potential aerial bombardment. Those seven cascades, one of IR-4 centrifuges and six of IR-2m machines, were fully installed but not yet enriching, Monday's report said. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Iran deal and re-imposed sanctions against Iran that the deal had lifted. If the deal is revived Iran will have to put its advanced centrifuges into storage, diplomats say.
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 21, 2022. After a meeting with Raisi on Tuesday in New York, French President Emmanuel Macron said that "the ball on reaching a nuclear deal with Iran is now in Tehran's camp". The agreement limited Iran’s uranium enrichment activity to make it harder for Tehran to develop nuclear arms, in return for lifting international sanctions. Biden cannot provide such ironclad assurances because the deal is a political understanding rather than a legally binding treaty. Western diplomats have said they will not back down on this issue and it is up to Iran to make the right choice.
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