NOURNEWS: The resolution proposed by Britain, France, and Germany was approved with 20 votes in favor, 2 against, and 12 abstentions. It does not mention Iran's extensive and constructive cooperation with the IAEA Director General and the IAEA. Instead, it asks Iran to take "necessary and urgent" actions to address alleged safeguard issues.
Reports say the resolution also urges Iran to implement the March 4 statement without delay, resolve all remaining issues with the IAEA, and reinstate the inspectors' access which was revoked by Iran under Article 9 of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement.
The approved document repeats politically safeguard motivated and false claims from Israeli documents, which have been proven false many times and has been used as a tool to continue hostility against our country. It asks Iran to provide valid explanations for human-sourced uranium particles found at two undeclared sites and inform the IAEA of the current locations of nuclear materials or contaminated equipment. Russia and China voted against the draft resolution.
This is the fourth resolution passed by the IAEA Board since the implementation of the JCPOA, despite Iran's recent serious warnings to the European trio, emphasizing that actions against Iran will not go unanswered. Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the political advisor to the Supreme Leader, warned European countries on X that if certain ignorant European nations take a hostile stance against Iran's peaceful nuclear program in the upcoming IAEA meeting, they will face a serious response from Iran.
Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, also reminded that Iran's nuclear activities comply with national laws, safeguards, and the NPT. However, some commitments have been abandoned due to the other party's non-compliance, and Iran will return to its previous commitments if the West does the same. Eslami warned that issuing resolutions or political pressure will definitely provoke a reaction from Iran.
Before the voting, the "Like-Minded Group" issued a joint statement calling the resolution against Iran a miscalculation and warned that such action would backfire. They urged council members to resist efforts to politicize safeguard issues and not support the resolution.
Their statement reads “the Like-Minded Group welcomed continued interaction between Iran and the IAEA on safeguard issues, appreciated the IAEA Director General's recent visit to Iran, and noted positive movements for further dialogue and cooperation. During the Director General's visit, both sides agreed to maintain communication about the ongoing implementation of the March 2023 joint statement and are about to discuss further cooperation. In such a context, France, Germany, and Britain are pushing a resolution draft that will have negative consequences.”
This resolution was passed after IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi repeated political claims against Iran. Analysts believe that the European trio's actions against Iran’s peaceful nuclear program are driven by the upcoming presidential elections. Despite this, Iran has always tried to fulfill its obligations under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement while using its legal rights and tools to counter political overreach.
Undoubtedly, the recent actions of the three European countries, who continually use IAEA tools for political purposes, will face Iran’s increased use of its legal rights to advance its peaceful nuclear program. These countries will realize they cannot block the unyielding will of the Iranian people to maintain their independence and legal rights to use peaceful nuclear energy.
NOURNEWS