UNITED NATIONS: US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz has accused Iran of violating its nuclear obligations and refusing to scale back activities that Washington says raise serious proliferation concerns, intensifying an already tense dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Addressing the UN Security Council, Waltz said Iran continues to enrich uranium to 60 per cent, a level far above what is generally required for conventional civilian nuclear power generation. He argued that Iran has not provided a credible peaceful justification for maintaining such enrichment and accused Tehran of restricting access for inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The remarks came shortly after the IAEA Board of Governors referred Iran’s safeguards non-compliance to the Security Council. The board’s September decision followed continuing concerns over the agency’s ability to verify Iran’s nuclear activities and account for its enriched uranium stockpile.
Iran disputes Washington’s interpretation and maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful. Tehran has rejected US demands to completely abandon uranium enrichment, arguing that enrichment is a right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) for countries pursuing peaceful nuclear activities.
Iranian officials have also criticised the IAEA’s approach, accusing the agency of political bias and rejecting recent measures against Tehran as politically motivated.
The disagreement has become particularly significant because the IAEA’s ability to monitor Iran’s nuclear programme has been reduced. The agency has previously reported that it needs access to Iran’s nuclear facilities to establish a clear account of nuclear material, particularly uranium enriched to 60 per cent.
A recent UN Security Council discussion also highlighted the scale of international concern. Western governments have pointed to Iran’s accumulation of uranium enriched to 60 per cent as evidence requiring urgent verification, while Russia and China have challenged Western efforts to restore or extend certain UN sanctions mechanisms.
The dispute is unfolding alongside stalled diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran. Iran has indicated that it is prepared to discuss its nuclear programme but has rejected demands to halt enrichment and send enriched uranium abroad. Reuters reported last month that Tehran also linked any broader agreement to issues including sanctions relief and the Strait of Hormuz.
For the United States and its allies, the central concern is whether Iran’s expanding enrichment programme could eventually provide a pathway toward nuclear weapons capability. Tehran, however, continues to insist that it does not seek nuclear weapons and that its enrichment activities fall within its rights under international agreements.
With tensions rising and international monitoring constrained, the nuclear dispute remains closely tied to wider US-Iran tensions and the prospects for renewed diplomacy.
