• US warns UK against condemning Iran’s nuclear program at IAEA meeting.
• US officials deny lobbying against the move.
• UK officials believe Iran’s nuclear program is advanced and “deeply concerned” about escalation.

The source reported that the US has warned the UK against condemning Iran’s nuclear program at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency next week. Amid simmering tensions in the Middle East and a US presidential election in November, Washington is reportedly seeking to avoid a regional escalation.

At an IAEA board of governors’ meeting next week, it is anticipated that the UK and France will present a censuring resolution against Iran over its nuclear program. However, the US has reportedly warned other countries to abstain from the resolution, which was drafted due to growing frustration with Tehran’s defiance of the IAEA.

Officials in the US have denied lobbying against the British and French move. In addition to electoral concerns, the White House also fears that Iran may be prone to instability following last month’s exchange of strikes with Israel and the death of the country’s president and foreign minister in a helicopter crash.

The source reported that UK officials believe Iran’s nuclear program is as advanced as ever and are “deeply concerned” about escalation. From June 3-7, the 35-member IAEA board of governors will convene for a quarterly meeting.

Following Washington’s axing of the nuclear deal under former President Donald Trump, Iran is believed to have been enriching uranium to 60 percent purity for three years. Tehran has maintained that it seeks to use the uranium for a civil nuclear program. However, the IAEA has warned that no country has enriched to 60 percent purity without later developing nuclear weapons.

Last week, a senior European diplomat made comments to Reuters, describing Iranian nuclear violations as “unprecedented.”

“There is no slowing down of its program and there is no real goodwill by Iran to cooperate with the IAEA,” the diplomat said. “All our indicators are flashing red.”

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