THE UN’s atomic watchdog said on Thursday that it needs €1 million in extra funding to pay for monitoring a four-month extension of the interim nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers.

The request was made to member states of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) six days after the extension of last year’s agreement was announced.

Iran and the six powers — the United States, France, Germany, Russia, Britain and China — agreed to continue talking after they failed to meet a July 20 deadline for a final accord to end the decade-old dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme.

The IAEA has a pivotal role in verifying that Iran is complying with the preliminary agreement, under which Tehran halted most uranium enrichment in exchange for a limited easing of sanctions.

The short-term deal was designed to buy time for talks on a comprehensive agreement on the country’s nuclear programme.

The IAEA saw its workload increase significantly under the preliminary accord, which was initially due to run for six months from January 20 but has now been extended until November 24.

Its inspectors now access Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz and Fordow daily, compared to about once a week before. 

The agency also provides monthly updates to member states on how Iran is implementing its commitments.

IAEA director general Yukiya Amano said in January the agency would have to double the number of people it has working on Iran as a result of the November agreement.