Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated on Wednesday that Iran's ban on some of the agency's most experienced inspectors from participating with the team allowed to work there represents a "very serious blow" to the agency's work. Grossi said in a press conference when asked about the impact of this step on the agency's ability to conduct important inspections in Iran: "It's a very serious blow to our ability to do that" and urged Tehran to reconsider this decision.
The IAEA did not specify the number of inspectors whose credentials were revoked, but diplomats estimate it to be a few. Officials noted that while this number represents a small portion of the more than 100 inspectors in Iran, they are among the agency's top experts in the field of uranium enrichment. One diplomat estimated the number of banned inspectors at eight, all of whom are French and German. He mentioned that this has left only one enrichment expert in the team assigned to Iran.
Another senior diplomat estimated that the number of other available enrichment experts with the required knowledge is likely to be less than five. The senior diplomat referred to the revoked inspectors, saying, "There are not many countries that possess such expertise. Countries with such expertise are usually very reluctant to allow them to participate in international operations. They were also inspectors familiar with the facilities, having been present for years inspecting them."
The importance of this expertise was highlighted last January when one inspector noticed a slight but significant change in a series or group of centrifuges for uranium enrichment that Iran had not reported to the IAEA. This change led to an increase in the enrichment level to 83.7%, a record high. Many diplomats pointed out that the inspector who discovered this change, a Russian expert in enrichment, had his credential revoked later in the year, shortly before others.
