Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium continues to increase, the
head of the UN atomic watchdog agency said on Monday, adding that
it has been three years since the agency was able to access the
country.
Addressing the Board of Governors of
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Director
General Rafael Grossi indicated no
progress had been made in resolving outstanding issues.
He mentioned that Iran is still not implementing provisions of
the nuclear safeguards agreement, and that withdrawal of
designations for several IAEA inspectors are yet to be reversed.
“These outstanding safeguards issues…need to be
resolved for [IAEA] to be in a position to provide
assurance that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful,”
Mr. Grossi emphasized.
He also voiced concerns about public statements made in Iran
regarding its technical capabilities to produce nuclear weapons
and potential changes to its nuclear doctrine, which only deepen
apprehensions about the “correctness and completeness” of the
country's safeguards declarations.
Ukraine's power plants
Turning to Ukraine, the IAEA chief warned the situation at the
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant “remains precarious” and that
all seven Pillars of Nuclear Safety
and Security have been “fully or partially compromised”.
These include physical integrity; functional safety and security
systems and equipment; radiation monitoring and emergency
response; secure and reliable off-site power supply; trained
staff; an uninterrupted logistic supply chain; and open
communication.
“The attacks and the frequent disconnection of the
off-site power lines due to military activity are creating a
grave situation,” Mr. Grossi said.
All six reactor units at the plant have been in cold shutdown
since April, a safety measure long recommended by the IAEA.
Despite this, the agency's ability to ensure the plant's safety
and security remains compromised due to restricted access, he
added.
He further reported that Ukraine's other four nuclear power
plants continue to face compromised supply chains for spare parts
and high levels of stress among staff.
DPR Korea's nuclear programme
Mr. Grossi also voiced concern over the continued and further
development of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK)
nuclear programme.
The IAEA has observed intermittent cooling water discharge,
consistent with the operation of the Light Water Reactor (LWR) at
Yongbyon, along with ongoing activities at the reported
centrifuge enrichment facility.
The Nuclear Test Site at Punggye-ri remains occupied and prepared
to support a new test.
“The continuation and further development of the DPRK's nuclear
programme is a clear violation of relevant
UN Security
Council resolutions and is deeply
regrettable,” Mr. Grossi said, urging the country to comply fully
with its obligations and to cooperate promptly with IAEA.
Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant
In Japan, IAEA continues to monitor the discharge of Advanced
Liquid Processing System)-treated water from the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, which suffered a meltdown 13 years
ago, he reported.
Mr. Grossi confirmed that the discharge is progressing in
accordance with the safety plan approved by Japan's Nuclear
Regulation Authority.
“Expert independent analysis of the six batches released so far
have confirmed the tritium concentration in each batch of
ALPS-treated water released to date is far
below Japan's operational limit.”
Nuclear technology for sustainable development
In his concluding remarks, the head of IAEA underscored the
agency's key role in promoting sustainable development.
“The IAEA is a crucially important vehicle for advancing
sustainable development and international peace and security,” he
said, urging member states to continue their support for the
agency's indispensable work.
