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West prevents seriously confronting Iran as IAEA meet begins

A quarterly meeting of the U.N. nuclear guard dog's main policymaking body started on Monday with Western powers once again picking not to seriously face Iran over its failure to cooperate with the firm on a series of concerns, diplomats said.

It is more than a year because the International Atomic Energy Company's 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution buying Iran to work together with a years-long IAEA investigation into uranium particles found at undeclared sites, stating it was urgent and essential for Iran to explain the traces.

Ever since the number of undeclared sites being investigated has actually diminished to 2 from three but the list of problems in between the IAEA and Iran has only grown. Iran failed to totally honour an arrangement to re-install IAEA electronic cameras at some websites and in September disallowed some of the firm's most valued inspectors.

I ... deeply regret that Iran has yet to reverse its choice to withdraw the designations for several knowledgeable Company inspectors, director general Rafael Grossi told the Board conference.

Only through meaningful and constructive engagement can all As soon as again I call upon Iran, of these concerns be dealt with and to comply fully and unambiguously with the Firm.

With Israel's military offensive in Gaza continuing in reaction to Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks, heightening stress across the Middle East, the United States did not wish to run the risk of even more diplomatic escalation with Iran by pushing for a resolution versus it at the IAEA, diplomats said.

If you did do an (IAEA Board) resolution today ... it's. too dangerous to do anything that might be construed as a wrong. signal that might activate a miscalculation, a Western diplomat. said, pointing out different factors.

The region is in this heightened state, you do not have a. ceasefire or resolution of any sort in Gaza, we don't have the. potential customers of any kind of nuclear solution, and ... the U.S. is. going into presidential elections, they said.

Diplomats had actually said before the Board meeting that the three. European powers that proposed the last resolution collectively with. the United States and typically act in coordination with. Washington - Britain, France, and Germany, referred to as the 'E3' -. were promoting a resolution and had drafted a text.

Washington, nevertheless, has opposed looking for a resolution. against Iran for months, at least in part due to the fact that of the. impending U.S. governmental election in November, diplomats have. stated, and once again it was the most hesitant of the 4 powers.

The United States and E3 have actually been vocal in criticising Iran. on these and other issues, such as its growing stockpile of. enriched uranium that would suffice, if enriched further, to. fuel a number of a-bombs. Iran says it has no such intention.

(source: Reuters)