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| UAE Urges Iran To Guarantee Nuclear Program |
International Military - United Arab Emirates urged Iran to provide assurances about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program . The request comes after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) denounced Tehran's lack of cooperation. "There are concerns," said the UAE's permanent representative to the IAEA, Hamad al-Kaabi in response to an AFP question during a press conference on the Emirates nuclear program.
He called on Iran to "cooperate closely with the IAEA" and "provide assurances to regional and international countries regarding the peacefulness of its nuclear program". Iran has a nuclear power plant outside the coastal city of Bushehr, as well as a controversial uranium enrichment program.
Kaabi's remarks came after Iran cut off several IAEA cameras monitoring its nuclear sites this month, shortly after the United States and its European allies pushed for a resolution at the UN agency condemning Tehran's lack of cooperation. One day after the statement came out, Iran immediately responded.
Iran on Saturday (18/6/2022) told the UAE that Tehran gave high priority to improving relations with its neighbors.
In a phone call with his UAE counterpart, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said, "points to the neighbor's priorities in Iran's foreign policy and calls for more consultations to expand bilateral relations," state media said. In 2019, the US-allied UAE began engaged with Iran after years of strained relations.
A 2015 deal with world powers gave Iran relief from sanctions in exchange for guarantees that it cannot develop nuclear weapons, something Tehran has always denied.
The United States unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump, before imposing biting sanctions on the Islamic republic. Iran in turn began to renege on its own commitments. US President Joe Biden has said he is ready to re-embrace the deal as long as Iran also honors its own promises under it.