UN finds it difficult to monitor Iran's nuclear activities after suspension of US foreign aid program

US President Donald Trump's suspension of the foreign aid program has disrupted the ability of the UN nuclear watchdog to monitor Iran's nuclear activities, writes the New York Times, quoted by FOCUS, citing its own sources.

As current and former US government nuclear experts told the American daily, this happened because of the suspension of two programs that provide assistance to international nuclear inspectors.

This is Trump's order, issued on the first day of his presidency, which freezes all US foreign aid programs for 90 days.

According to unnamed sources of the NYT, two of the programs were aimed at assisting the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by hiring and training nuclear inspectors, as well as supplying the agency with equipment and sophisticated laboratory instruments needed to study samples.

According to the American newspaper, one of the programs has already been resumed, but the other remains frozen.

Although the IAEA did not comment on such information about cutting aid, the US State Department, which is supposed to fund the programs, told the NYT that "some US assistance continues to be provided for programs that support the International Atomic Energy Agency's efforts and capabilities to inspect nuclear sites around the world, including Iran".

The US State Department did not specify whether any of the programs were frozen or simply reduced.