Iran has stepped up cooperation with nuclear inspectors, IAEA says

Oct. 4 (UPI) -- The Iranian government has improved its cooperation recently with world nuclear inspectors who are investigating Tehran's activities at its atomic plants, U.N.-affiliated regulators said Friday.

Acting International Atomic Energy Agency Chief Cornel Feruta told reporters in Austria progress is being made, but emphasized Iran's activities are still being evaluated. The IAEA is attempting to clarify whether Iran has provided a complete picture of its nuclear activities.

Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with officials at the United Nations last week, and his government has since provided more detailed information to the IAEA about its uranium stockpiles.

Feruta told Tehran last month of the importance of cooperation, particularly in view of reports that said traces of Uranium were found at one Iranian plant recently.

The traces were reported by Israel last year to IAEA inspectors, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli intelligence retrieved documents indicating a secret program to build nuclear bombs.

Tehran said the samples were from recycled events the IAEA already knew about.

The United States has imposed new sanctions against Iran over the past year since U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the 2015 nuclear treaty. In response, Iran has continually reduced its commitments to the agreement and enriching uranium beyond limits set by the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.