Iran’s decision to de-accredit some International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors tasked with overseeing Tehran’s nuclear program shows it is not interested in showing a responsible attitude on the issue, he said yesterday. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Friday.

The US chief’s comments suggest that Washington is leery of Tehran’s expressed willingness to curb its nuclear program.

On Saturday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, condemned Iran’s decision to exclude 1/3 of the IAEA’s team of experts from the country, preventing oversight of its nuclear program.

The US, France, Germany and Britain had earlier asked Iran to immediately cooperate with the IAEA and provide an explanation for traces of uranium found at three sites undeclared by Tehran.

One of the main goals of the IAEA is to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons by verifying that states adhere to their commitment to use nuclear technology only for peaceful purposes.

The International Atomic Energy Agency is tasked with verifying Iran’s compliance with commitments it made under the 2015 deal on its nuclear program, which called for curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for the easing of U.S.-imposed sanctions. EU and UN.

Efforts to revive the deal, which the US withdrew from in 2018 under Trump, collapsed last year and Washington is looking for new ways to force Tehran to curb its nuclear program.

“We tried to work indirectly with Iran, as well as with our European partners, even with Russia and China, to see if we could get Tehran back into compliance with the deal on its nuclear program.” , Blinken told reporters.

“Just last week we saw the removal of IAEA inspectors … tasked with ensuring that Iran is consistent in meeting its commitments,” he continued. “This does not show that Iran is really interested in being a responsible actor,” the US secretary of state said.

De-accrediting inspectors is at Tehran’s discretion, since states can veto experts tasked with inspecting nuclear facilities under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and each country’s obligations to the IAEA