IAEA Report Refutes US Anti-Iran Claims

The UN nuclear agency's new report on Iran's commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal refuted US allegations about Tehran's non-compliance, Iran's envoy to the agency, Reza Najafi, said.

"The agency's ninth report since the deal was put into effect [January 16, 2016] again confirms that Iran's nuclear activities totally conform with JCPOA, despite US claims," IRNA quoted Najafi as saying on Monday, hours after the release of the report.

JCPOA stands for the official name of the accord, namely the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

In its first report since US President Donald Trump decertified Iranian compliance with JCPOA's terms, the International Atomic Energy Agency said the Islamic Republic has remained within the main limits on its nuclear activity set by the deal with six world powers.

Tehran undertook to curb its uranium enrichment program in return for relief from international sanctions and UN nuclear inspectors have repeatedly verified Tehran's adherence to key aspects of the accord.

Trump has called the agreement between Iran, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union "the worst deal ever" and disavowed Iran's compliance last month.

His decision did not constitute a US exit from the accord but raised concerns about its staying power.

Trump's move, at odds with the commitment of other parties to the deal, meant the US Congress must decide by mid-December whether to reimpose economic sanctions lifted under the accord, reached under his predecessor Barack Obama.

If congress reinstates the sanctions, the United States would in effect be in violation of the deal and it would likely fall apart. If lawmakers do nothing, the deal remains in place.

***Technical Details

Iran's stock of low-enriched uranium as of Nov. 5 was 96.7 kg (213.2 pounds), well below a 202.8-kg limit set by the deal, and the level of enrichment did not exceed a maximum 3.67% cap, said the confidential report the IAEA sent to its member states and seen by Reuters.

Iran's stock of so-called heavy water, a moderator used in a type of reactor that can produce plutonium stood at 114.4 metric tons, below a 130-ton limit agreed by the parties to the deal.

The 3.67% enrichment and 202-kg stockpile limit on uranium, and the 130-ton cap on heavy water, aim to ensure that Iran does not amass enough material of sufficient fissile purity to produce a nuclear bomb. Such a device requires uranium to be refined to around 90% purity.

Iran denies western allegations that there have been military aspects to its nuclear program, insisting that it has only pursued civilian purposes.

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano told Reuters in September he would welcome clarification from the powers on how the agency should monitor Iran's implementation of the so-called Section T of the nuclear pact that deals with technologies that could be used to develop an atom bomb.

Russia had been critical of the agency's monitoring of Section T provisions, but Monday's report said the IAEA had verified Iran's commitment to the section.