The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), took a firm stance against Iran’s lack of cooperation on Wednesday.
The IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution demanding that Iran increase its cooperation with the agency and reverse its recent decision to bar inspectors from accessing certain sites.
Resolution Passed Despite Concerns
The resolution was approved by a vote of 20 in favor, 2 against, and 12 abstentions. It follows a previous resolution from 18 months ago, which ordered Iran to urgently comply with the IAEA’s investigation into traces of uranium found at undeclared sites.
Despite narrowing the investigation to two sites, Iran has yet to provide satisfactory explanations for the presence of these uranium traces.
Calls for Accountability and Cooperation
In a joint statement, Britain, France, and Germany emphasized the need for the Board to hold Iran accountable to its legal obligations, stating, “Iran must urgently, fully and unambiguously cooperate with the Agency.”
Since the last resolution, the list of issues the IAEA faces in Iran has grown. The new resolution also calls on Iran to address several of these additional concerns.
Unprecedented Restrictions on Inspectors
One significant issue highlighted in the resolution is Iran’s decision in September to bar many of the IAEA’s top enrichment experts from its inspection team. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi described this move as “disproportionate and unprecedented” and a “very serious blow” to the agency’s ability to carry out its verification activities effectively.
The resolution explicitly “calls on Iran to reverse its withdrawal of the designations of several experienced Agency inspectors, which is essential to fully allow the Agency to conduct its verification activities in Iran effectively.”
