Iran confirmed on Saturday that it has allowed the International Atomic Energy Agency to increase inspections of its nuclear programme.
"We have increased capacity – it is natural that the number of inspections should also increase," the official Irna news agency quoted the country's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami as saying.
"When we carry out nuclear activities, and where we deal with nuclear materials, changing the scale will naturally change the monitoring level," he added.
An IAEA report earlier this week said Iran had agreed to tougher monitoring at its Fordow uranium enrichment plant south of Tehran.
The UN nuclear watchdog said that Iran had revamped Fordow so that it could "significantly increase the rate of production of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent", a short technical step from the 90 per cent enriched uranium needed to make a nuclear weapon.
Iran insists on its right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and denies it is seeking an atomic weapons capability.
"The IAEA has always had access to monitor within the framework of the safeguard agreement and the NPT, and we have not created any obstacles for it and we will not do so," Mr Eslami said.
The Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT requires member states to declare and maintain their nuclear materials under IAEA supervision.
Last month, Iran announced it would launch "new and advanced" centrifuges in response to an IAEA board resolution censuring Tehran for what it called a lack of co-operation with the agency.
Britain, France and Germany on Tuesday "condemned" Tehran's latest steps to expand its nuclear programme, "strongly urging" it to reverse them.
In a letter to the UN Security Council, the three European powers raised the possibility of restoring all UN sanctions against Iran to keep it from developing its nuclear programme.
Nuclear tensions with the West have soared since Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark 2015 deal with Tehran during his first term as US president. The deal, involving the US, Russia, China and the three European states, had provided sanctions relief in exchange for limits on Iran's nuclear programme.
Mr Trump has vowed to renew his campaign of “maximum pressure” on Iran when he returns to office in January.
With reporting from agencies.
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
if you go
The flights
Fly to Rome with Etihad (www.etihad.ae) or Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dh2,480 return including taxes. The flight takes six hours. Fly from Rome to Trapani with Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Dh420 return including taxes. The flight takes one hour 10 minutes.
The hotels
The author recommends the following hotels for this itinerary. In Trapani, Ai Lumi (www.ailumi.it); in Marsala, Viacolvento (www.viacolventomarsala.it); and in Marsala Del Vallo, the Meliaresort Dimore Storiche (www.meliaresort.it).
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
More on Quran memorisation:
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
