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                                                                                         world news Diaranson 24 november 2021

                              EU border agency: ‘Illegal border crossings’ on the rise


            (AP)  —  The  number  of  Mediterranean Sea crossings.
            people  trying  to  enter                                 The  agency  said  that  48,500
            Europe  without  authori-    Almost 8,000 people — most  crossings  were  reported  on
            zation  has  risen  signifi-  of  them  Iraqis,  Afghans  and  the “Western Balkans Route”
            cantly this year to surpass  Syrians  —  entered  through  —  which  many  migrants
            migrant  border  crossing  the  EU’s  eastern  frontier;  a  traverse on foot in search of
            figures  from  2019,  before  15-fold  increase  over  2020,  better  lives  or  sanctuary  in
            restrictions  imposed  to  the  agency  said.  Crossings  the relatively-wealthy 27 EU
            combat  the  COVID-19  from  Belarus  hit  a  peak  of  member  countries.  More
            pandemic  severely  lim-     more than 3,200 in July, but  than  9,000  entries  were  re-
            ited  travel,  the  European  had dropped to over 600 by  corded  in  October,  an  in-
            Union’s  border  and  coast  October.                     crease of 810% compared to
            guard said Tuesday.                                       2019.
                                         Frontex said that “while high
            Frontex  said  in  a  statement  level  frictions  between  the  Arrivals via the central Medi-
            that  160,000  “illegal  border  EU  and  the  Belarusian  re-  terranean also rose, reaching
            crossings”  were  recorded  in  gime  continue,”  countries  6,240 in October, 186% more  northern Africa.
            the  first  10  months  of  this  neighboring  Belarus  have  than in 2019. Frontex said a                          The  agency  said  that  16,390
            year,  up  70%  compared  to  “significantly   strengthened  “significant   development”  More  Egyptians  are  arriving  “illegal  border  crossings”
            the same period in 2020 and  their  border-control  mea-  is  that  a  growing  number  through the central Mediter-  were reported on the western
            45% more than in 2019. The  sures under exceptional states  of  migrants  are  crossing  by  ranean  from  Libya,  it  said.  Mediterranean  route,  often
            biggest  rise  was  at  the  EU’s  of emergency,” and that this  sea  into  Italy  directly  from  Separately,  migration  to  the  into Spain from northern Af-
            eastern  borders,  in  the  Bal-  has  stopped  people  moving  Turkey.  Most  usually  come  island  of  Cyprus  is  also  on  rica,  but  the  numbers  were
            kans  region  and  via  central  across in large numbers.  from Libya and other parts of  the rise.                 23% less than in 2019.


                           UN nuclear watchdog chief presses for more access in Iran


            (AP) — The head of the United  the Mideast in recent years. The U.S.  Iran’s  proliferation  sensitive  nuclear  around  2,000  tamper-proof  seals  on
            Nations’  atomic  watchdog  met  under  President  Joe  Biden,  mean-   activities  or  for  the  development  of  nuclear  material  and  equipment.
            Tuesday  with  Iranian  officials  while, has said it’s willing to return to  nuclear weapon delivery systems.”  Those seals communicated electroni-
            to press for greater access in the  the deal, but has warned time is run-                                   cally to inspectors. Automated mea-
            Islamic Republic ahead of diplo-    ning out.                           After  their  talk,  Eslami  gave  a  news  suring devices also provided real-time
            matic  talks  restarting  over  Teh-                                    conference in which he described the  data from the program. Inspectors as
            ran’s  tattered  nuclear  deal  with  All this raises the risk of a wider con-  ongoing issues as “technical” and not  well haven’t been able to access that
            world powers.                       frontation with Iran, which has taken  governed by the “political issues and  data, making the task of monitoring
                                                a harder tack ahead of the talks under  conspiracies” of Iran’s enemies.  Iran’s  enriched  uranium  stockpile
            Rafael  Mariano  Grossi  of  the  Inter-  new President Ebrahim Raisi, a pro-                               that much more difficult.
            national  Atomic  Energy  Agency  yet  tégé of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali  “Some  parts  are  yet  to  be  answered
            again faces tightrope-style talks with  Khamenei.                       and some parts have to do with issues  The agency also has sought monitor-
            Iranian officials as his inspectors re-                                 that have already been closed in the  ing of activities at a centrifuge parts
            main  unable  to  access  surveillance  Writing on Twitter on Monday, Gros-  past,”  he  said.  “They  have  been  ad-  production  site  near  northern  city
            footage  and  face  greater  challenges  si said he hoped to “address outstand-  dressed in the nuclear deal and have  of  Karaj.  The  IAEA  has  had  no  ac-
            in  trying  to  monitor  Tehran’s  rap-  ing questions” with Iranian officials.  been closed. Today, we agreed to put  cess there since June after Iran said a
            idly  growing  uranium  stockpile.  In                                  an end to them.”                    sabotage attack by Israel considerably
            the  wake  of  then-President  Donald  “I hope to establish a fruitful and co-                              damaged  the  facility  and  an  IAEA
            Trump’s  unilateral  withdrawal  from  operative  channel  of  direct  dialogue  Eslami did not elaborate.  camera there.
            Iran’s deal, the Islamic Republic now  so  the  (IAEA)  can  resume  essential
            enriches  small  amounts  of  uranium  verification activities in the country,”  Grossi for his part described the talks  In a separate report to IAEA member
            up to 60% purity — its highest ever  Grossi wrote.                      as “intense” and was not as definitive  states earlier this month, the agency
            and close to weapons-grade levels of                                    as Eslami.                          said Grossi also was concerned about
            90%.                                On  Tuesday,  Grossi  went  to  the                                     inspectors “being subjected to exces-
                                                Atomic Energy Organization of Iran,  “We are continuing at this point our  sively  invasive  physical  searches  by
            While  Iran  maintains  its  program  is  the country’s civilian nuclear agency,  negotiations  with  a  view  to  find-  security  officials  at  nuclear  facilities
            peaceful, regional rival Israel has re-  for his third-such visit since Febru-  ing  common  ground,”  Grossi  said.  in Iran.”
            peatedly warned it won’t allow Teh-  ary. He spoke with Mohammad Esla-  He was due to meet Iranian Foreign
            ran to build a nuclear weapon and is  mi, the new head of the organization.  Minister  Hossein  Amirabdollahian  Tuesday’s meeting comes ahead of a
            suspected  of  launching  attacks  tar-  The U.N. in 2008 sanctioned Eslami  afterward.                     wider meeting of the IAEA member
            geting its program as part of a wider  for “being engaged in, directly asso-                                states. Iran avoided facing a censure
            regional  shadow  war  playing  across  ciated with or providing support for  Under  a  confidential  agreement  vote at the board with a similar Grossi
                                                                                    called an “Additional Protocol” with  visit in September.
                                                                                    Iran, the IAEA collects and analyzes
                                                                                    images  from  a  series  of  surveillance  Meanwhile  in  Israel,  Prime  Minis-
                                                                                    cameras  installed  at  Iranian  nuclear  ter  Naftali  Bennett  described  Iran’s
                                                                                    sites. Those cameras helped it moni-  nuclear program as being in a “very
                                                                                    tor  Tehran’s  program  to  see  if  it  is  advanced  stage,”  without  providing
                                                                                    complying with the nuclear deal.    details.  Ahead  of  the  resumption  of
                                                                                                                        nuclear  talks  between  global  pow-
                                                                                    Iran’s  hard-line  parliament  in  De-  ers and Iran, Bennett said he expects
                                                                                    cember  2020  approved  a  bill  that  “disagreement  with  our  greatest  of
                                                                                    would suspend part of U.N. inspec-  friends.”
                                                                                    tions of its nuclear facilities if Euro-
                                                                                    pean signatories did not provide re-  “Either way, even with the return to
                                                                                    lief from oil and banking sanctions by  an agreement, Israel is of course not
                                                                                    February.  Since  February,  the  IAEA  part  of  the  agreement.  Israel  is  not
                                                                                    has  been  unable  to  access  imagery  bound by it,” he told a security con-
                                                                                    from those cameras.                 ference in Herzliya. “We will main-
                                                                                    Under the deal, the IAEA also placed  tain our freedom to act.”
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