Iran to IAEA: We are not committed to full supervision under threat of American attack

Iran informed the IAEA that it is not committed to full nuclear supervision under the threat of American strikes. In a document distributed to diplomats, it claimed that attacks on nuclear facilities made supervision impossible. The US responded that Iran's demands are "outrageous and ridiculous."

Iran informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it is not committed to allowing full nuclear supervision as long as it is under the threat of American strikes, Bloomberg reported. In a ten-page document distributed among diplomats last weekend, Tehran claimed that attacks on its nuclear facilities and the threat of further strikes made routine supervision impossible. Iran's representative to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, wrote that Iran would consider expanding cooperation only when inspections could be conducted safely. The Iranian position adds to diplomatic tensions between Tehran and Washington, as the war enters its ninth month. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that the sides are not close to a breakthrough, calling some of Iran's demands "outrageous and ridiculous." President Donald Trump said further strikes are unlikely if Iran signs an agreement, but left the military option open. In September, the IAEA Board of Governors referred Iran's case back to the UN Security Council due to its non-cooperation. For 17 months, inspectors have been unable to verify the status or location of 441 kilograms of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade level. Against the backdrop of information gaps, the US Central Command published a proposal for a reward of up to $20 million for information on Iran's nuclear program.