Iran complying with nuclear deal, U.N. report says

Reporting from Washington —  Iran continues to meet its obligations under an international agreement aimed at curbing its nuclear development, the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency said Friday in its first report since significant sanctions were removed Jan. 16.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, based in Vienna, is in charge of monitoring and verifying Iran’s compliance with the landmark deal, which Iran negotiated with the United States, England, China, Russia, France and Germany.

The accord, which was signed last summer, set specific steps for Iran to reduce its ability to produce nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief.

Iran has disabled its heavy-water reactor at Arak, dismantled thousands of centrifuges that are used to enrich uranium, and shipped most of its stockpile of enriched uranium to Russia, the IAEA said, as the accord requires.

One violation was recorded in the report: Iran had nearly a ton more heavy water than allowed under the agreement. The material can be used to produce plutonium, a bomb fuel.

But this week it shipped another 20 tons out of the country, bringing the supply back to within the allowable limit of 130 tons, officials said.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner downplayed the violation and said the Obama administration was satisfied with the report and Iran’s efforts.

The report was released as Iranians lined up to vote Friday in parliamentary elections, their first since the nuclear deal.

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