Tag: IAEA

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IAEA loses contact with Chernobyl systems

Director-General also raised deep concerns about the rotation of staff at the nuclear facility which was also the site of one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters in 1986….reports Asian Lite News

The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is no longer transmitting data from safeguards monitoring systems installed at the facility, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi informed in a statement on Tuesday.

The Director-General indicated that remote data transmission from safeguards monitoring systems installed at the Chornobyl NPP had been lost, the IAEA press release said, adding that, the Agency is looking into the status of safeguards monitoring systems in other locations in Ukraine and will provide further information soon.

The Director-General also raised deep concerns about the rotation of staff at the nuclear facility which was also the site of one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters in 1986.

Director-General Grossi stressed that staff operating nuclear facilities must be able to rest and work in regular shifts, stating that it is crucial for overall nuclear safety.

“I’m deeply concerned about the difficult and stressful situation facing staff at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and the potential risks this entails for nuclear safety. I call on the forces in effective control of the site to urgently facilitate the safe rotation of personnel there,” Grossi said.

Earlier, IAEA had informed that the Russian forces at the Zaporizhzhya NPP had switched off some mobile networks and the internet so that reliable information from the site could not be obtained through the normal channels of communication.

IAEA had also informed that the plant management, including measures related to the technical operation of the six reactor units, is under orders from the commander of the Russian forces that took control of the site last week.

Earlier on March 4, Russian forces took control of Zaporizhzhia NPP. Ukraine informed the IAEA that a projectile had hit a training building in the vicinity of one of the plant’s reactor units, causing a localized fire that was later extinguished.

Regarding the status of Ukraine’s operational nuclear power plants, the Ukrainian regulator said eight of the country’s 15 reactors were operating, including two at the Zaporizhzhya NPP controlled since last week by Russian forces, and that the plants’ personnel were working in shifts. Radiation levels at the sites were normal, it added. (ANI)

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Iranian diplomat says new IAEA report includes positive changes

Iranian diplomat says new IAEA report includes positive changes

The report has some positive changes and reflects both sides’ willingness to make progress toward resolving their differences and solving the remaining safeguards issues…reports Asian Lite News

A senior Iranian diplomat has said that the new Iran report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) includes some positive changes, including the removal of a location, alleged to indicate the possible presence in the past of a uranium metal disc, from the agency’s list.

Mohammad Reza Ghaebi, head of Iran’s permanent mission to international organizations in Vienna, made the remarks in response to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s report on the agency’s Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) safeguards agreement with the Islamic republic after his visit to Iran, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Iran’s official news agency IRNA.

The latest report, which contains the agency’s normal updates for presentation to the IAEA Board of Governors meeting to be held on Monday, nevertheless, repeats the presence of certain unresolved technical issues between the two sides, Ghaebi said.

ALSO READ: Iran presses IAEA for independent, impartial approach

He noted that the report has some positive changes and reflects both sides’ willingness to make progress toward resolving their differences and solving the remaining safeguards issues.

Iran and the IAEA on Saturday agreed on a roadmap to resolve Iran’s nuclear safeguards issues by June, according to a joint statement by Grossi and Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, after their meeting in Tehran early Saturday.

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Iran and IAEA agree to continue negotiations, cooperation

Iran and IAEA agree to continue negotiations, cooperation

Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that they have agreed to continue their negotiations and cooperation in the areas of common concerns…reports Asian Lite News

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on Tuesday met Mohammad Eslami, the chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, reports Xinhua news agency.

At a televised joint press conference, which followed a meeting at the AEOI venue, Grossi and Eslami announced that they would continue negotiations until remaining disputes are resolved.

Iran and IAEA agree to continue negotiations, cooperation

Eslami said the agency had some questions to Iran “based on the documents published by our enemies,” adding that “some questions have been answered and some others remain”.

The head of the AEOI said that “parts of these questions were addressed and closed” in the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“We agreed today to end these issues, the negotiations of which are still ongoing,” he added.

The Iranian nuclear chief stressed that Iran aims to utilize nuclear technology in various sectors, and “the agency will help us in this regard”.

“We have a plan to build at least 10,000 MW of nuclear electricity production capacity in Iran, especially by small power plants each with a maximum capacity of 300 MW,” Eslami said, adding that he hopes the agency will persuade and support the countries, which have the technology to help Iran develop its nuclear power capacity.

For his part, Grossi, who arrived in Tehran on Monday, said that the two sides, during his last trip in September, had “agreed to continue our joint work on the clarification of a number of issues and continue and deepen the dialogue with the government of Iran”.

“We are continuing our negotiations at this point with the view of finding common grounds. There are a number of issues that we are working on. We will multiply our efforts with the view of concluding our exchanges today on a positive note. We are working very hard,” the IAEA chief stated.

Grossi also described his visit to Tehran a sign of determination to hold talks, mutual understanding, resolve problems and boost cooperation with Iran, announcing the agency’s readiness to resolve the remaining issues in the coming months in close cooperation with the Islamic Republic.

On his part, Amir Abdollahian urged the UN nuclear watchdog to deal with “technical issues” relating to the Iranian nuclear program and to remain “technical, professional and neutral” in this regard.

In his meeting with Grossi, the Foreign Minister stressed the seriousness of his country to interact constructively with the IAEA within the framework of the Safeguards Agreement, expressing the hope that “mutual trust and cooperation” would be further strengthened.

Prior to his arrival in Tehran, Grossi had expressed the hope that during this trip, he would be able to establish a “fruitful and cooperative channel of direct dialogue”, so his agency can resume “essential verification activities” in the country.

ALSO READ: Iran calls on IAEA to maintain ‘technical cooperation’

The meetings on Tuesday came ahead of the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors’ meeting on Wednesday about a recent report pertaining to Iran’s nuclear program and a week before the resumption of talks, scheduled on November 29, on reviving the JCPOA in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

The negotiations are aimed at persuading Iran and the US to re-adopt commitments under the JCPOA in exchange for the lifting of American sanctions against Tehran.

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India urges Iran to continue to cooperate with IAEA

The statement came at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the Implementation of UNSCR 2231…reports Asian Lite News.

India has urged Iran to continue to cooperate with IAEA in the performance of its verification activities and addressing all outstanding issues.

India supports the full and effective implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and Resolution 2231, said a statement by Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations TS Tirumurti on Wednesday.

The statement came at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the Implementation of UNSCR 2231.

“We have always maintained that all JCPOA related issues should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy and have extended our support to all such efforts which help in constructively addressing and resolving outstanding issues,” it added.

“All participants should adhere to their respective obligations under UNSCR 2231. We hope that the ongoing engagement will result in a positive outcome,” Ambassador Tirumurti noted.

“Let me also use this opportunity to commend the IAEA for its role and continued efforts towards ensuring the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme,” he stated.

“We urge Iran to continue to cooperate with the IAEA in the performance of its verification activities and addressing all outstanding issues,” India’s Permanent Representative to UN argued.

It further said, “We count on the full implementation of the JCPOA by all parties, which will serve the shared and long-term interests of all countries.”

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is a detailed, 159-page agreement with five annexes reached by Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) on July 14, 2015.

The nuclear deal was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, adopted on July 20, 2015.

Iran’s compliance with the nuclear-related provisions of the JCPOA is verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) according to certain requirements set forth in the agreement.

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