IAEA headquarters
IAEA headquartersiStock

Iran urged the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog to avoid publishing “unnecessary” details on its nuclear program, The Associated Press reported Sunday, citing Iranian state TV.

The report quoted a statement from Iran’s nuclear department that asked the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to avoid publishing details on Iran’s nuclear program that may cause confusion.

“It is expected the international atomic energy agency avoid providing unnecessary details and prevent paving ground for misunderstanding” in the international community, the statement said, without elaborating.

The IAEA, which monitors Iran’s nuclear program, has released several reports in recent months regarding Iran’s violations of the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers.

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.

Sunday’s report comes a day after Germany, France and Britain pressed Iran to back off its plan to develop uranium metal, calling it “the latest planned violation” of the 2015 deal.

“Iran has no credible civilian use for uranium metal,” they said in a joint statement quoted by AP. “The production of uranium metal has potentially grave military implications.”

That statement was released after the IAEA informed member states that Iran has started work on uranium metal-based fuel for a research reactor.

Iran reacted to the European statement on Sunday, saying Iran informed the IAEA nearly two decades ago of its plans for the “peaceful and conventional” production of uranium metal. It also said it provided updated information to the agency two years ago about its plans to produce silicide advanced fuel.