TEHRAN, Iran — A team of international inspectors arrived in Iran on Saturday ahead of the Islamic Republic opening its nuclear program as part of a landmark deal struck with world powers to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions being eased.
Iranian state television reported that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, a U.N. agency, landed in Tehran. It said nuclear engineer Massimo Aparo will lead the team, which will visit Natanz and Fordo, Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities.
The inspectors will monitor Iran’s compliance with terms of a deal reached Nov. 24 in Geneva between the Islamic Republic and the so-called P5+1 world powers — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. The deal takes effect Monday.
Under the deal, Iran has agreed to halt production of 20 percent enriched uranium, which is just steps away from bomb-making material. Iran will be able to continue enrichment up to 5 percent. It also will eliminate its stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium.
In return, some Western sanctions are to be lifted against Iran. The deal will last for six months as Iran and the world powers negotiate a final deal. Yet the deal has skeptics. Some U.S. lawmakers have pushed for more sanctions against Iran.
