Diplomats interviewed by the newspaper said the male security guards had inappropriate physical contact and ordered them to remove part of their clothing.

According to one diplomat, there were at least four incidents. Another informant said there were five to seven incidents.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement that the incident was unacceptable. “In recent months, there have been incidents related to the security restrictions on inspectors at an Iranian institution,” the IAEA said in a statement on Wednesday, without elaborating on the nature of the facts.

“The agency immediately took the issue to Iran,” the IAEA statement continued, “explaining clearly and unequivocally that this is unacceptable and should not be repeated.”

“Iran has been accused of tightening security measures after the incident at one of its centers,” the IAEA said in a statement.

Uranium enrichment plant

According to WSJ, the incident took place at a uranium enrichment plant in Nathans.

On April 11, the Nathans complex was hit by a “coup d’etat” that blamed Israel.

“Security measures have been rationally strengthened and IAEA inspectors have gradually adapted to the new standards,” Kasem Garib Abadi, Iran’s ambassador to international institutions in Vienna, told the US newspaper.

Attempt to revive nuclear deal

Diplomats are attending the quarterly meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna this week. They are due to address the issue of Iran’s nuclear program on Wednesday.

The Islamic Republic calls for the lifting of US sanctions. In the following months, the country relinquished its obligations under the international agreement signed in 2015.

Negotiations between the United States and other countries (Iran, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, China, and Russia) to defend this agreement, which was overturned by former US President Donald Trump, are now stagnant.

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