Iran and the UN have reached an agreement on the reinstallation of cameras at the Karaj nuclear facility, a move that is seen as essential to keeping alive the broader nuclear talks and the lifting of US sanctions on Tehran.
The negotiations seem to be hanging by a thread judging by a string of negative comments from European diplomats when they discussed the progress of the talks at the UN security council on Tuesday.
The old cameras in Karaj had been taken away by Iran for an investigation after what was presumed by Tehran to have been an Israeli attack on the facility in June. Iran raised allegations that the cameras had been hacked by Israel, which has not confirmed attacking the facility.
The cameras, to be installed in the coming days, would replace those that were removed earlier this year, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. It described the agreement as an important development for the IAEA's verification and monitoring activities in Iran. Rafael Grossi, the IAEA's director general, said it will allow us to resume necessary continuity of knowledge at this facility. I sincerely hope that we can continue our constructive discussions to address and resolve all outstanding safeguards issues in Iran. The agency will perform other technical activities before the end of December on a date agreed between the agency and Iran, as well as reinstall cameras to replace those removed from the workshop at Karaj. Russia was particularly insistent that Iran reached a new agreement with the IAEA.
The agreement struck on Wednesday has been criticised by some conservative circles in Iran, with some saying it is an unnecessary concession, but pro-government figures said the deal removed any excuse from the west not to negotiate on the broader agenda in Vienna.
UN, US, and European envoys said the talks were rapidly approaching the end of the road and would not allow Iran to stymie the negotiations.