IAEA headquarters
IAEA headquartersiStock

Iran has expressed "disappointment" over the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) latest report complaining of blocked access and said it is ready to resolve any issues with the UN nuclear watchdog, AFP reported on Thursday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report last Friday that Iran has for months blocked inspections at two sites where nuclear activity may have occurred in the past.

The Vienna-based agency noted "with serious concern that, for over four months, Iran has denied access to the agency... to two locations".

In a separate report published the same day, the IAEA also said that Iran has continued to increase its stockpiles of enriched uranium and remains in violation of its 2015 deal with world powers.

In a note to the IAEA dated June 8 and quoted by AFP, Iran said it had held meetings with agency representatives in Tehran on April 29 and May 16 to discuss the access issues, followed by written correspondence and a fresh proposal to meet with IAEA representatives.

The IAEA has for months been pressing Tehran for information about the kind of activities being carried out at an undeclared site where the uranium particles were found.

While the IAEA has not identified the site in question, it is believed to be the Turquzabad facility which was identified by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during his address before the UN General Assembly in 2018 as a "secret atomic warehouse."

In the note circulated by Tehran's mission to the UN in Vienna on Thursday, Iran insisted it "continued its constructive engagement with the agency during the past two months, with a view to reach a common understanding... which would pave the way for the resolution of concerned issues."

Iran argues that the requests for access are based on "fabricated information", accusing the United States and Israel of trying to "exert pressure on the agency".

Iran has gradually scaled back its compliance with the 2015 deal in response to US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement in May of 2018.

The IAEA has said previously that its access requests were based on "concrete information" that had been validated.

In its note, Iran expressed "deep regret and disappointment" at the IAEA's latest report.

The report is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the agency's board of governors starting next Monday, according to AFP.

The report on Iran’s violations of the nuclear deal is also to be discussed during the board meeting.