Deep sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program look set to go into force once again, even as a UN watchdog confirmed Friday inspections of its atomic sites had resumed.

Russia failed in an effort with Beijing Friday to delay the reimposition of the measures on Tehran, with Moscow raising the prospect that it may not enforce the sanctions — despite being required to under international law.

European powers triggered the process to reimpose economic sanctions after demanding Iran reverse a series of steps it took after Israel and the United States bombed its nuclear sites in June.

The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, did confirm Friday that inspections of Iranian nuclear sites had resumed this week after a hiatus following Washington and Israel’s strikes. It did not disclose, however, whether inspectors visited sites damaged in the US and Israeli attacks, amid questions over the status of Tehran’s stockpile of uranium enriched nearly to weapons-grade levels.

“Inspections are… confidential and we cannot confirm their location, but we can confirm that inspections have taken place this week,” the IAEA said in a statement.

Resumption of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspections was a key measure demanded by the Europeans — Britain, France and Germany.

“I signed an agreement with the agency in Cairo and the director general of the agency is quite satisfied and happy,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi said.

Araghchi has insisted any effort to reimpose........

© The Times of Israel