Iran warns European powers IAEA censure will ‘complicate’ nuclear talks

Tehran has reportedly offered to stop expanding its stockpile of high-enriched uranium during a visit by the UN nuclear watchdog chief.

Iran has warned three European nations against pursuing a new censure resolution against it at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) shortly after the head of the watchdog visited Tehran.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned efforts by France, Germany and the United Kingdom to pass their fourth resolution since 2020 during the United Nations nuclear watchdog’s board meetings that start on Wednesday.

“This move by the E3 is in clear confrontation with the positive atmosphere created in engagements between Iran and the IAEA, and will only make the issue more complicated,” Araghchi told his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot in a phone conversation, according to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Barrot told him that Iran’s “nuclear escalation was very worrying and carried major risks of proliferation”, according to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said the three European powers will continue “efforts to return to negotiations with Iran with a view to a diplomatic solution”.

The latest confidential reports by the IAEA to member states on Tuesday indicated that Iran has offered to not further expand its stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium, several media outlets, including the Reuters news agency and CNN reported.