TEHRAN (Iran News) Relations with China are strategic and serious in the pillars of Iran’s Islamic system, Salehi said in a meeting with China Ambassador to Iran Cong Peiwu on Tuesday.

The Iranian government and people know their friends in difficult times and don’t forget them, he added.

He praised initiatives for developing cooperation between the two countries, known as Iran-China comprehensive partnership document, as well as the joint cultural, art and sport programs.

Salehi expressed Iran’s readiness for implementing ideas on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between Iran and China, saying that President Masoud Pezeshkian pays special attention to promoting relations with China.

The two countries can also maintain good relations in holding exhibitions, he stressed.

The dialogue between the civilizations of Iran and China brings about several achievements for both countries and the world, Iranian minister said.

Meanwhile, Cong said Iran and China attach importance to developing relations.

Both countries agreed to strengthen all-out ties especially in cultural field.

He praised initiatives for developing cooperation between the two countries, known as Iran-China comprehensive partnership document, as well as the joint cultural, art and sport programs.

Salehi expressed Iran’s readiness for implementing ideas on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between Iran and China, saying that President Masoud Pezeshkian pays special attention to promoting relations with China.

The two countries can also maintain good relations in holding exhibitions, he stressed.

The dialogue between the civilizations of Iran and China brings about several achievements for both countries and the world, Iranian minister said.

Meanwhile, Cong said Iran and China attach importance to developing relations.

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The letter was announced after the Agency released a quarterly report on Iran in which it accused Iran of failing to explain traces of uranium found at several allegedly undeclared sites. The letter also came after IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi announced on May 24 that he had agreed with Iran to extend by one month a February deal between Iran and the IAEA allowing the UN nuclear watchdog to continue necessary monitoring activities.

However, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s permanent representative to the UN offices in Vienna, said that Salehi, in his letter, told Grossi that the monitoring deal has expired.

“Dr. Salehi’s letter to @rafaelmgrossi: Whereas the Technical Understanding was expired on May 24, Iran decided not to extend it, meanwhile we decided to continue recording for one month aimed at providing another opportunity to conclude bilateral tech negotiations with the Agency,” Gharibabadi said on Twitter, adding, “On safeguards, Iran has so far done its utmost efforts to cooperate with the Agency substantively and provide the necessary clarifications and responses. We welcome the Agency’s readiness for engaging in a proactive and focused effort to resolve the issues without any delay.”

The Iranian diplomat also said, “And as before, we would continue to cooperate constructively with the Agency. We highly expect such a mutually determination would result in reaching a visible practical outcome as quickly as possible.”

In May, Grossi said he had agreed with Iran to extend by one month the necessary verification and monitoring activities carried out by the Agency in the country. He made the announcement after reaching the agreement with Salehi.

Under their agreement, the information collected by the Agency monitoring equipment covered by a Technical Understanding signed last February will continue to be stored for a further period of one month up to June 24, according to a statement issued by the IAEA. They also agreed that the equipment will continue to operate and be able to collect and store further data for this period, the statement noted.

“I am happy that, through our continued dialogue, we were able to agree on this matter today,” the IAEA chief said at the time.

“I welcome this development. The expiration of the Technical Understanding, which enabled the Agency’s verification and monitoring, would have been a serious loss at this critical time,” he added. “This agreed way forward ensures continuity of knowledge for a limited period of time.”

Iran’s top security body also confirmed the decision, saying in a statement that the extension was made to give nuclear negotiations between Iran and the West more time.

“Due to the ongoing technical negotiations on the settlement of safeguards issues between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which are taking place in parallel with the Vienna talks, the storage of surveillance cameras data will continue for one month from May 24 so that the necessary opportunity is provided for the progress and conclusion of the negotiations,” Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said in a statement. It also underlined the continued suspension of the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in accordance with a parliamentary nuclear law obliging the Iranian government to restrict cooperation with the IAEA unless the West lifts sanctions on Iran.

The nuclear law stipulates that the Iranian government should take certain nuclear measures such as raising the level of uranium enrichment to 20% and suspending the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol if the Western parties failed to honor their obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran’s monitoring deal with the IAEA came a few days before the nuclear law came into force.

Iran and the IAEA reached in February a temporary deal allowing the Agency to continue its monitoring of Iran’s nuclear facilities for a period of three months, which expired more than a week ago. The deal was reached during a two-day visit by IAEA chief Grossi to Iran.

At that time. the IAEA and the AEOI issued a joint statement announcing the deal.

“The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency recalled and reaffirmed the spirit of cooperation and enhanced mutual trust that led to the Joint Statement in Tehran on 26 August 2020, and the importance of continuing that cooperation and trust,” the February statement said. “The AEOI informed the IAEA that in order to comply with the act passed by the Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran called ‘Strategic Action to Cease Actions and Protect the Interest of Iranian Nation’ Iran will stop the implementation of the voluntary measures as envisaged in the JCPOA, as of 23 February 2021.”

The statement added, “In view of the above and in order for the Agency to continue its verification and monitoring activities, the AEOI and the IAEA agreed: 1. That Iran continues to implement fully and without limitation its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA as before. 2. To a temporary bilateral technical understanding, compatible with the Law, whereby the IAEA will continue with its necessary verification and monitoring activities for up to 3 months (as per technical annex). 3. To keep the technical understanding under regular review to ensure it continues to achieve its purposes.”

In early May, a few weeks before the expiration of the deal, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi, who is leading the Iranian negotiating team in Vienna, said that Iran would consider extending the deal if needed.

He told Japanese broadcaster NHK that Iran hopes enough progress will be made so that there will be no need for an extension. But he said that if needed, Iran will consider an extension at a proper time.

Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, reiterated this position, saying that extending the deal is one of Iran’s options.

“In this interview, Dr. Araqchi pointed to only one of the choices for the date of May 21. If the talks are on the right track, with the coordination of both parties and Tehran’s approval, this date can be extended,” the spokesman said.

Salehi’s letter came amid the fifth round of the nuclear talks currently underway in the Austrian capital of Vienna. The talks made progress but are yet to reach a final stage.

Araqchi has said that all parties are still serious and have taken these talks seriously and many delegations are hoping that this round can be the last round of talks and “we will reach a conclusion.”

“You can have such hope, but you have to be a little bit cautious. The issues that remain to be finalized and decided are still important issues, although their number has decreased and we have made great strides in writing the text in previous periods. We can move forward further, but the few issues that remain are still key issues that need to be decided,” he said.

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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday said Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium is around 16 times the limit laid down in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear agreement signed between Tehran and major world powers in 2015.

In its quarterly report on Monday, the IAEA said Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was estimated to be 3,241 kilograms as of May 22 (vs 2,967.8 kilograms in February). The limit laid down in the deal was 300 kilograms of uranium in a particular compound form, the equivalent of 202.8 kilograms of uranium.

According to the report, the quarterly increase in Iran’s enriched uranium stock was estimated to be 273.2 kilograms, (vs 524.9 kg in February).

This report comes at the time the Vienna talks on the return of the U.S. to the JCPOA are underway and everybody claims something about the outcome of the talks. On Monday while it was said this would be the last round of the talks, Iran’s top negotiator to Vienna talks said despite intense efforts made by all involved parties to reach a conclusion in the ongoing fifth round of talks, he was not sure that this would be the final round of negotiations.

Araqchi further said, “We are now at a point [in talks] where major bones of contention are being discussed… Texts have been made ready. A lot of texts have been made ready, but sticking points are still being discussed.”

The Iranian deputy foreign minister added, “I am personally not sure that we will reach a conclusion in this round [of talks]. However, we will continue our efforts. Delegations may need to go back to their countries once more for more consultations. No final decision has been reached yet.”

As it was expected, the West and especially the U.S. seeks buying time and it wants Iran unilaterally to return to its JCPOA commitments while it doges it under the pressure of the Zionists.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said last week that an agreement is within reach on the removal of sanctions on Tehran, but it remains for the US to make a “political decision” and change course on the “failed legacy” of the former Trump regime.

As the Supreme Leader has set the red lines for talks on the revival of the JCPOA, the negotiating team is not allowed to surpass these red lines by giving concessions to the West and returning to its JCPOA commitments, unless all sanctions are removed. When it is said “removing all sanctions” it means “all sanctions” and the U.S. cannot remove partial sanctions in order to fool Iran for its return to the JCPOA commitments because it was the U.S. who violated the deal last time and now Iran is in better position than 2015 as the current pro-West government is on the verge of transferring the power to a likely revolutionary government which will follow the revolutionary principles.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said last week that the country continues to enrich uranium to 60 percent purity level as talks between the country and the remaining signatories to the JCPOA continue in the Austrian capital.

This is what exactly the country should do to defend its rights against the world arrogance. Nation will not accept any retreat and concession by the negotiating team in Vienna talks, and the team this time is not allowed to give any one-sided concessions to the other party and it should be a real win-win deal and not a paper deal wherein the West claims victory by halting the nuclear program without any tangible practical results for Iran.

As long as the talks continue, Iran should continue its peaceful nuclear programs no matter what the IAEA, as the pressure lever of the West,  reports on its nuclear activities because this agency works as a tool in favor of the West for putting pressures on the countries which do not give in the world powers, especially the West.

So let the IAEA issues reports and we continue our peaceful nuclear program which is the right of this country and its brave nation until the country regains its rights.

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The last-minute discussions, including the International Atomic Energy Agency pushing back a statement planned for Sunday, further underscored the narrowing window for the U.S. and others to reach terms with Iran as it presses a tough stance with the international community over its atomic program. The Islamic Republic is already enriching and stockpiling uranium at levels far beyond those allowed by its 2015 nuclear deal.

Speaking at a news conference Monday in Vienna, IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi told journalists that came after a discussion with Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s civilian nuclear program. He acknowledged that challenges remain, however, as the agency still can’t access images taken by its cameras.

“I’d want to stress this is not ideal,” Grossi said. “This is like an emergency device that we came up with in order for us to continue having these monitoring activities.”

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s representative to the IAEA, acknowledged the deal at the same time on Twitter. He said Tehran’s civilian nuclear agency, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, would keep the material already recorded by the IAEA cameras.

“We recommend the negotiating countries to seize the extra opportunity provided by Iran in good faith for the complete lifting of sanctions in a practical and verifiable manner,” Gharibabadi wrote.

Meanwhile Iran’s Supreme National Security Council released a statement on the extension of the agreement between Iran and the IAEA until June 24.

“Today, May 24, 2021, the quarterly opportunity regarding the storage of data of surveillance cameras installed in Iran’s nuclear facilities expires,” it said.

Emphasizing the suspension of the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol by Iran in accordance with the law on “Strategic Action Plan to Lift Sanctions and Protect Iranian Nation’s Interests”, the Iranian council announced its decision on the method of cooperation with the IAEA after the expiration of the previous agreement.

“Due to ongoing technical negotiations on the settlement of safeguards issues between Iran and the IAEA, which are being held simultaneously with the Vienna talks, surveillance camera data will be stored for one month as of May 24 to provide the opportunity for further negotiations and reaching a final conclusion.”

Under a confidential agreement called an “Additional Protocol” with Iran, the IAEA collects and analyzes images from a series of surveillance cameras installed at Iranian nuclear sites. Those cameras helped it monitor Tehran’s program to see if it is complying with the nuclear deal.

Western diplomats have said that not extending the IAEA deal could jeopardize efforts to salvage the 2015 accord, which aims to keep Iran from being able to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran says it has never wanted to build them.

Iran and world powers will resume talks in Vienna this week on the nuclear deal, which Washington abandoned three years ago and then reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

“I recommend that they use this opportunity, which has been provided in good faith by Iran, and lift all the sanctions in a practical and verifiable manner,” Gharibabadi said.

Iran’s move to curb IAEA access arose from parliamentary legislation widely seen as pressure on President Joe Biden’s administration to return to the nuclear pact and lift sanctions.

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Considering the country’s special conditions this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and the risks that the electricity outages could impose on Covid-19 patients, the Energy Ministry is facing a much bigger challenge compared to the previous years.

Furthermore, new deteriorating factors like severe drought and the decline in the country’s water resources as well as a new wave of illegal cryptocurrency mining across the country have also worsened the situation this year.

Iran’s Power Generation, Distribution, and Transmission Company (known as Tavanir) has previously announced that the company is implementing over 40 different programs for managing the situation and to prevent blackouts in the country, however, so far these programs do not seem to be working as expected.

In this regard, the Tehran Times has spoken with the Head of Tavanir Office of Public Relations Abouzar Salehi to get more information on the matter. What follows is the gist of the interview.

The consumption

Asked about the country’s electricity consumption situation in the current year and the difference with the previous years, Salehi said” This year we are facing two major phenomena in this regard, one is natural and the other manmade: lack of rainfall and severe drought has pushed the water reservoirs of the country’s hydropower plants to critical lows and at the same time illegal cryptocurrency mining across the country has imposed a huge burden on the power grid this year.”

“Last year, the inflow of water into the country’s dam reserves was about 12 billion cubic meters, while this year the figure has fallen to six billion, this means that our water resources have been halved,” he said.

“Water shortage this year has led to a 4000-5000 megawatt decline in the output of hydropower plants which is equal to the total consumption of six big cities.”

On the other hand, the consumption has also increased drastically, so that in comparison to the previous year electricity consumption has risen by 19.2 percent this year.

“On May 22, 2020, electricity consumption in Iran stood at 45,847 megawatts, while this year the consumption has increased to 54,448 megawatts, this means 8,600 megawatts more electricity is consumed compared to the same date in the previous year.”

The increase in the electricity consumption in the current summer peak period is equal to the output of 70 gas power plant units, Salehi stressed.

The reasons

Asked about the reasons for the drastic increase in consumption, Salehi pointed to three major reasons: “cryptocurrency mining, rise in temperature, and industrial boom.”

According to the official, one of the major reasons for the current year’s power shortage is the activity of thousands of illegal cryptocurrency mining units across the country.

“Based on a research conducted by Cambridge University, the electricity consumption by crypto-miners in Iran has increased 4.5 times since October 2020,” he noted.

“We estimate the electricity consumption by such units to be at least 2,000 megawatts at the moment,” Salehi added.

“Also, the drought has led to the decline of the water levels in agricultural wells so the pumps need to work more hours and consequently consume more electricity; at the same time the early arrival of the heat has also caused a sudden jump in the use of cooling appliances in households and once again led to a drastic rise in consumption, especially in arid regions.”

The industrial sector in the country has also been demanding more electricity in the current year following the boom in the country’s domestic production, he added.

The Solutions

Explaining the Energy Ministry’s programs for tackling the above-mentioned challenges, Salehi said the ministry and Tavanir have prepared several programs to address the mentioned issues in the best possible way.

For instance, the agricultural sector has been asked not to use their water pumps in the peak consumption hours and in return use free electricity in certain hours, he said.

“Also, the industrial units that stop working in rush hours will be awarded a 50-percent discount on their electricity bills in other hours.”

“People have also been asked to manage their consumption and several incentive packages have also been considered to encourage people to consume less during peak hours.”

As for the crypto-miners, the energy ministry has asked people to report any illegal activities of such units and in return receive a prize amounting to 200 million rials (about $4,700), the official added.

Several power plant units which have been going through an annual overhaul will also be put into operation in the coming days and hopefully, the situation will get better, Salehi noted.

Salehi finally stressed the fact that all of the above programs will work only if people cooperate with the ministry since the masses have the biggest impact on the country’s power situation.

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“It is not acceptable to Iran to divide the sanctions into removal, non-removable and negotiable,” the source said on Saturday.

“In Tehran, nothing will be accepted but the removal of all sanctions, including those related to the JCPOA, reimposed and relabeled during the Trump era,” the source added.

The source also said the recent European sanctions against Iran’s military commanders are “a gross violation” of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and should be stopped.

Iran and the remaining signatories to 2015 nuclear deal are meeting in Vienna to try to remove the unilateral U.S. sanctions imposed by former president Donald Trump three years ago after he abandoned the international accord.

The talks will carry on for several days before breaking so that Iranian and U.S. officials can return home for consultations, a European Union official said on Friday.

The U.S. is not allowed to participate in the discussions, but its representatives are reportedly held abreast of the negotiations down the hall by the Europeans.

The new talks come after a “terrorist” attack earlier this week on Iran’s uranium enrichment facility in Nantanz which put a number of the country’s first generation machines out of order.

Both the U.S. and the Europeans have kept silent on the attack and instead expressed concerns over Iran’s 60-percent enrichment which the country launched for the first time right after the sabotage.

In a surprise move, the European Union on Monday imposed sanctions on eight Iranians, including head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), raising the ante in hostile measures against Tehran.

Iran’s chief negotiator Abbas Araqchi told Press TV on Thursday that the EU sanctions are meant to undermine the negotiations.

“The Europeans not only ignored this important act of sabotage, but also they were busy imposing new sanctions on Iran and that was totally unacceptable,” he said in Vienna.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has also said the perpetrators of the sabotage are wrong to think the act will undermine Iran’s position in Vienna negotiations.

“Incidentally, this cowardly act will strengthen our position in the negotiations,” Zarif said on Monday.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi said on Friday Iranian scientists had produced the country’s first batch of 60-percent enriched uranium in Natanz.

He said the 60-percent enrichment was completed in two days. “Production of 60-percent enriched uranium is currently 9 grams per hour,” Salehi said, adding any level of enrichment is now possible for Iran.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran starts injecting gas into next generation centrifuges. Iran has officially started injecting gas into next-generation centrifuges at Natanz Nuclear Facility, in a ceremony attended by President Hassan Rouhani through videoconference.

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Upon his arrival to Tehran, the IAEA chief was welcomed by the Spokesman for Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi and Iran’s Representative in IAEA Kazem Gharibabadi.

Grossi’s second visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran since taking office as director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) comes amid a countdown to the deadline set by Iran slated for Feb. 23 to end the implementation of Additional Protocol (AP).

Grossi’s first visit to Tehran took place in early September at the invitation of authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran and in line with continuing Iran’s cooperation and commitments as a member of this international body.

Last night, Salehi told reporters that at tomorrow’s meeting with Rafael Grossi, the Agency’s considerations will be discussed in the framework of the Safeguards Agreement, as well as the cooperation of the two parties.

Earlier, in a tweet, Grossi explained the purpose of his visit to Iran Saturday, saying that his visit aims at finding a mutually agreeable solution, compatible with Iranian law.

His visit comes as Iran’s permanent ambassador to the International Organizations in Vienna Kazem Gharibabadi last Monday said that Iran has informed the IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of suspension of the country’s voluntary actions under the JCPOA from February 23, 2021.

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