BERLIN

Germany strongly condemned Iran on Monday for barring several International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors from monitoring the country’s atomic program. 

“We strongly condemn this step. We find it rather regrettable and consider it a step in the completely wrong direction,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christian Wagner told media representatives in Berlin.

“Our message to Iran is very clear: it must abide by its international obligations,” he added.

The UN nuclear watchdog harshly criticized Iran on Saturday for effectively barring several of its most experienced inspectors from monitoring the Islamic Republic’s atomic program.

The strongly worded statement follows longstanding tensions between Iran and the IAEA, which is tasked with monitoring that country’s nuclear program as Western powers have long suspected it is geared at eventually developing a nuclear weapon. Iran, for its part, has repeatedly insisted the program is peaceful.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the IAEA, said Iran had withdrawn the designation of “several experienced agency inspectors.”

Grossi also condemned Iran’s “disproportionate and unprecedented” move to bar multiple inspectors assigned to the country, hindering their oversight of Tehran’s atomic activities.