EU urges Iran to reconsider barring of IAEA inspectors

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union urged Iran on Sunday to reconsider its decision to bar multiple International Atomic Energy Agency's inspectors assigned to oversee Tehran's atomic activities, noting such oversight was part of the Iran nuclear deal.

Iran's move was a response to a call led by the United States, Britain, France and Germany at the IAEA last week for Tehran to cooperate immediately with the IAEA on issues including explaining uranium traces found at undeclared sites.

"The European Union is highly concerned by the ... decision by Iran to withdraw the official designation of several experienced IAEA inspectors to monitor and verify its nuclear programme," the spokesman for EU foreign affairs Peter Stano said in a statement.

"Particularly worrying is the direct and severe impact of this decision on the Agency's ability to conduct its verification activities, which includes the monitoring of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The EU urges Iran to reconsider its decision without delay," the statement said.

(Reporting by Jan Strupczewski, Editing by Louise Heavens)