Iran promised to cap its stock of near weapons grade nuclear fuel on condition that no censure resolution will be issued at a Wednesday meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog, Reuters said citing reports to the body's member states.
The confidential reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) say Tehran has made preparations to cap the stockpile at around 185 kg (407 lbs). Iran also agreed to consider accepting the appointment of four additional experienced IAEA inspectors.
However, diplomats told Reuters that Western powers are pushing for the censure resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting despite Iran's reported offer. The Wall Street Journal also quoted sources as saying that France, Britain and Germany (known as the E3) will move forward with the resolution in the Wednesday meeting.
Previous voting patterns suggest that proposals backed by the key Western countries easily pass. A successful resolution could be a catalyst for France, Britain and Germany to trigger a so-called "snapback mechanism" to restore UN sanctions imposed on Iran before a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal.
The decision comes despite Iran's pledge to retaliate if such a resolution is adopted.
"If the IAEA Board of Governors passes a censure resolution against Iran, the Islamic Republic will undoubtedly take reciprocal action and implement new measures in its nuclear program, which they will certainly not like," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the state TV on Saturday.
Unconfirmed media reports in Tehran say Iranian authorities have threatened to "activate a significant number of advanced centrifuges and may inject gas into these centrifuges" if the resolution is passed.
This is not the first time Iran has sought to dissuade the IAEA Board of Governors from adopting censure resolutions. In March 2023, Iran told the IAEA it was committed to resolving issues around sites where inspectors have concerns about possible undeclared nuclear activity and to allow the IAEA to “implement further appropriate verification and monitoring activities.”
However, Tehran did not cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog and even withdrew the accreditation of several inspectors assigned to conduct verification activities in Iran under the Non-Proliferation Treaty Safeguards Agreement in September 2023.
France, Britain, and Germany repeatedly attempted to rally support for a censure resolution at the Board of Governors, according to the Wall Street Journal, but their efforts were blocked by the Biden administration. In June 2024, the UN nuclear watchdog’s 35-member board of governors censured Iran for failing to cooperate with the agency.
Sharp rise in Iran's stockpile of nuclear fuel
The IAEA reports to member states cited by Reuters show that Tehran's stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% had grown by 17.6 kg since the previous report to 182.3 kg as of Oct. 26, which is enough for four nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick.
While Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, the Islamic Republic's authorities have in multiple instances suggested that the country may change its nuclear doctrine if deemed necessary.
The IAEA Board of Governors' meeting on Wednesday will be the last quarterly Board meeting before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
Trump who withdrew the US from a nuclear deal with Iran in 2018, has vowed to restore his so-called maximum pressure against Iran and stop the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon.