Iran has nothing to gain from ending inspections of its nuclear sites, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said.
International Atomic Energy Agency director general Rafael Grossi issued the appeal in response to calls by Iranian MPs to stop inspections after a top Iranian nuclear scientist was assassinated on November 27.
"We understand the distress but at the same time it is clear that no-one, starting with Iran, would have anything to win from a decrease, limitation or interruption of the work we do together with them," Mr Grossi said in an interview with AFP after a year in office.
Mr Grossi, 59, said his agency had not yet received any signal from Iranian authorities that anything would change regarding inspections after the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
On Sunday, Iran's parliament demanded that inspections were halted, another potential retreat from a key commitment in the country's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
"This is not the first time that parliamentarians have expressed themselves in this way or in very similar ways," Mr Grossi said.
"We haven't received any indication of restrictions or limitation of their co-operation with us. I do not see any reason to believe that this would be the case now."
The biggest inspection effort
Mr Grossi said his agency's extensive inspections regime was essential if the outside world was to have assurances about the nature of Iran's nuclear programme.
Fakhrizadeh was buried on Monday, three days after he was assassinated on a road outside Tehran.
"Let me say that we abhor violence of any type. We are an international organisation for peace and security," Mr Grossi said.
The killing could put more strain on diplomatic efforts to salvage Iran's 2015 nuclear deal, which has been disintegrating since US President Donald Trump withdrew his country from it two years ago.
Iran has been one of the thorniest problems Mr Grossi has had to tackle in an eventful year since taking office.
"They have a very large nuclear programme that requires one of the biggest, if not the biggest, efforts in terms of inspection. Without that the instability in the region would be far higher," Mr Grossi said.
A high point during his leadership was his trip to Tehran in August, which ended in an agreement to allow inspectors from the agency to visit two sites where undeclared nuclear activity may have taken place in the 2000s.
Tehran denied access to the sites for months.
"I was served with a denial of access to two sites barely 40 days into the job, something that had never happened before in the history of the IAEA," Mr Grossi said.
He said some member states and analysts thought his gambit of flying to Iran for talks was a risk.
But it paid off and won him plaudits in Vienna's diplomatic circles.
Mr Grossi said there were still unanswered questions about the presence of nuclear material at an undeclared site in the Turquzabad district of Tehran province.
"I do not want to dramatise but it is important that we get clarification," he said.
While he did not set a deadline for Iran to provide the necessary information, Mr Grossi said "a sense of urgency is clear on my side".
The site has been under discussion for almost two years now, he said.
Mr Grossi said his proudest achievement was that the agency managed to keep going despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
"I had to argue my way with foreign ministers, I had to hire private planes to send my inspectors. It wasn't easy," he said.
Mr Grossi said he hoped the agency would be a priority for the government led by US President-elect Joe Biden.
3%20Body%20Problem
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
The Word for Woman is Wilderness
Abi Andrews, Serpent’s Tail
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
