BERLIN—The UN nuclear watchdog harshly criticized Iran on Saturday for effectively barring several of its most experienced inspectors from monitoring the country’s disputed atomic program.
“Iran has effectively removed about one-third of the core group of the agency’s most experienced inspectors designated for Iran,” he said. The US, Britain, France and Germany criticized Iran in a joint statement at an IAEA board meeting in Vienna this week, calling on Tehran to step up cooperation with the agency.
The Vienna-based IAEA reported earlier this month that Iran had slowed the pace at which it is enriching uranium to nearly weapons-grade levels. That was seen as a sign that Tehran was trying to ease tensions after years of strain between it and the US.