UN watchdog, Western nations call on Iran to restart nuclear cooperation

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi urges Tehran to re-engage. US and E3 demand information on whereabouts of enriched uranium.The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has called on Iran to “re-engage” with inspections of its nuclear sites while the US and European partners have demanded information on the whereabouts of the country’s stores of enriched uranium.International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday that it is “very important” that Tehran “re-engage” to allow the international watchdog to continue oversight of its nuclear programme.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4IAEA chief says Iran-US nuclear talks in ‘complicated phase’list 2 of 4IAEA brokers localised Ukraine ceasefire to allow nuclear plant repairslist 3 of 4The war on Iran is eroding nuclear non-proliferationlist 4 of 4Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile: Can it be safely transferred?end of listUnited States President Donald Trump has said that the need to prevent Iran producing a nuclear weapon is a key driver of the ongoing military operation against Iran. Tehran insists that its nuclear programme is purely for civilian purposes.Israel and the US bombed Iran’s nuclear sites last year. The condition of its infrastructure and whereabouts of its stores of enriched uranium remain unknown.“It’s very important that we re-engage,” Grossi said as he opened a quarterly Board of Governors meeting.He urged Tehran in a written statement to engage with IAEA “constructively in order to facilitate the full and effective implementation of safeguards in Iran,” referring to inspections.The US meanwhile, alongside the UK, France and Germany, requested that the board pass a resolution ordering Iran to provide clear information on the bombed sites and enriched uranium.The draft said Iran must provide “precise information on nuclear material accountancy and safeguarded nuclear facilities in Iran” and grant the IAEA “all access” to inspect and verify sites, according to the AFP news agency.