Skip to content
Hot-TopicsNewsGreat BritainIAEAUSAReadinessIranGermanyIran'sTehranFranceCooperation

The IAEA laments Iran's reluctance to work together.

The IAEA criticizes Iran's lack of cooperation for the first time in over a year and a half in a resolution. The agency requests that Tehran promptly offers "technically reliable responses" regarding the discovery of uranium particles in two sites not meant for this use, as stated in a...

IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi
IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi

The IAEA laments Iran's reluctance to work together.

Iran needs to straight away grant access to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, whose permissions were previously revoked. The surveillance cameras that monitor Iran's nuclear activities will also have to be switched on again.

The resolution also condemns Iran's recent claims about their "ability to create nuclear bombs technologically." Despite its symbolic value, it will intensify diplomatic pressure on Iran.

Germany, the United Kingdom, and France, who initially faced opposition from the US, celebrated the resolution's approval. In a joint statement, they said it sends a "clear message supportive of IAEA's efforts."

Iranian officials, however, called the IAEA resolution "excessive and ridiculous" in media outlets. They described the actions of Western countries as "rushed and absurd," and asserted that this would "certainly harm the process of diplomatic communication and fruitful engagement" according to the Iranian news agency Isna, quoting the Iranian delegation at the United Nations to Al-Monitor.

The IAEA reports that Iran is the only country without nuclear weapons that possesses more than 60% enriched uranium and stocks up on significant amounts of uranium. They are, therefore, getting closer to enriching it to the required 90% for nuclear arms. Only 3.67% enriched uranium is required for nuclear power stations.

Iran has consistently denied any desire to build nuclear weapons. Nonetheless, there is no "trustworthy non-military reason" for the ongoing expansion of its nuclear program, according to diplomatic sources.

Relations between the IAEA and Tehran have degraded over time. Talks with Tehran were initially postponed following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Nonetheless, diplomats speculate that Tehran is taking advantage of the helicopter crash as a means to secure more time.

The IAEA Board of Governors' meeting began in Vienna on Monday. During the last meeting of the Board of Governors in March, the European countries had to delay their plan due to a lack of US support.

Read also:

Comments

Latest