Vienna, June 12 — The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors passed a resolution on Thursday condemning the Iranian regime for its non-compliance with nuclear obligations, marking a significant development in the international community’s stance toward Tehran’s nuclear program.
Out of the 35 member states on the Board, 19 voted in favor of the resolution, 11 abstained, and three — Russia, China, and Burkina Faso — opposed it.
According to diplomats cited by Reuters, this is the first time in nearly two decades that the IAEA has officially declared Iran in violation of its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The resolution cites Tehran’s persistent failure to cooperate with the agency on undeclared nuclear material and activities at multiple undisclosed sites across the country.
The draft resolution states:
“Iran’s many failures to uphold its obligations since 2019 to provide the Agency with full and timely co-operation regarding undeclared nuclear material and activities at multiple undeclared locations in Iran… constitutes non-compliance with its obligations under its Safeguards Agreement.”
In a swift and defiant response, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Atomic Energy Organization issued a joint statement condemning the resolution as “political and biased.” The statement claimed the resolution contradicted even the IAEA Director General’s own report and accused the four sponsoring countries — the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany — of reviving long-closed allegations dating back more than 25 years.
“Although we consider the Agency’s report to be completely political and biased, these four countries went even further and drafted a resolution based on claims that were closed by the Agency’s resolution in November 2015,” the statement read.
As part of its retaliation, Tehran announced plans to construct a new uranium enrichment facility in an undisclosed, secure location and to upgrade existing enrichment equipment. Specifically, the government ordered the replacement of first-generation centrifuges at the Fordow nuclear site with advanced sixth-generation machines.
Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesperson for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, appeared at the Tehran Research Reactor shortly after the resolution was passed. He confirmed that the regime was launching its “third secure enrichment site” and reiterated the regime’s commitment to expanding its enrichment capabilities.
“This site has been designed with a very high security factor,” Kamalvandi said. “Replacing the first-generation centrifuges at the Fordow complex with sixth-generation machines will significantly increase our enriched material production capacity, while also enhancing the security of our nuclear infrastructure.”
The timing of the resolution and Iran’s retaliatory moves come amid heightened fears of military conflict. Hours before the resolution was passed, CBS News reported, citing multiple sources, that Israel is “fully prepared” to carry out a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
In response to the escalating tensions, Tehran has threatened to retaliate against U.S. military bases in the region should Israel launch an attack. Iranian officials, including the defense minister, have warned that any such move would trigger a broader regional confrontation.
U.S. embassies and military bases across the Middle East have been placed on high alert. Non-essential personnel at American diplomatic missions in Bahrain and Kuwait have reportedly been ordered to evacuate, with U.S. officials anticipating that Iran might target bases in Iraq and elsewhere if hostilities erupt.
