“PROLIFERATION-SENSITIVE”
Samuel Hickey of the Washington-based Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, said Grossi’s tour of the two plants was “significant for both technical monitoring and symbolic reasons”.
“Natanz serves as Iran’s main uranium enrichment facility, while Fordo houses some of its most advanced centrifuges,” Hickey said.
Fordo “is among Iran’s most proliferation-sensitive sites”, he added.
Hickey said that by allowing Grossi to visit the plants Iran “is signalling that the easiest access to these facilities is through diplomatic engagement”.
Grossi’s visit comes ahead of a meeting of the IAEA’s board of governors later this month at which Britain, France and Germany could propose a new resolution critical of Iran.
In talks with the IAEA chief in Tehran on Thursday, President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was ready to resolve any “doubts and ambiguities” about its nuclear ambitions.
But in his meeting with Grossi, Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami threatened instant “countermeasures” if the board adopts an “interventionist resolution”.
“Iran wants to both act like it will cooperate so as to undermine support for a harsh board resolution,” while also threatening retaliation if the board passes one, Institute for Science and International Security head David Albright told AFP.
The outgoing administration of President Joe Biden expressed scepticism about the show of cooperation by Tehran.
“Ultimately, what we want to see from Iran is actual behavioural change and action, not just signs of something or indications of something,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.
