Iran Nuclear NewsIAEA Diplomats Consult on Iran Resolution

IAEA Diplomats Consult on Iran Resolution

-

Voice of America: Diplomats on the 35-nation board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency are working behind closed doors to find agreement on a tough resolution, in an attempt to solve the Iran nuclear issue.
Britain, France and Germany have circulated a draft resolution urging Iran to provide immediate access to all facilities for inspection and to reconsider construction work on a heavy water reactor that could produce bomb-grade plutonium. Voice of America

Marlene Smith

Vienna – Diplomats on the 35-nation board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency are working behind closed doors to find agreement on a tough resolution, in an attempt to solve the Iran nuclear issue.

Britain, France and Germany have circulated a draft resolution urging Iran to provide immediate access to all facilities for inspection and to reconsider construction work on a heavy water reactor that could produce bomb-grade plutonium.

The draft regrets Iran’s failure to suspend its uranium enrichment activities as agreed with the Europeans last year. Gary Samore, former U.S. official and head of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, says this is a major sticking point between the EU-three and Tehran.

“I think that one of the main issues is that Iran’s commitment to suspend its enrichment program while the IAEA carries out its investigations has not been adhered to in a way that satisfies the Europeans that negotiated this agreement with Iran last fall and in particular the UK, France and Germany are very unhappy that Iran has continued to build centrifuge machines even while it claims it is honouring suspension of its enrichment program,” he said.

The European draft resolution calls on Iran to suspend immediately all activities connected with reprocessing and uranium enrichment. The resolution does not go far enough for Washington, which believes uranium enrichment is a key part of Iran’s bomb program.

The United States says the involvement of the Iranian military in building uranium enrichment centrifuges is not the sign of a peaceful program as claimed by Tehran.

The United States wants any resolution to include a late October deadline for Iran to comply and also calls on Iran to provide a complete list of nuclear technology it bought on the black market that includes the names of suppliers.

Seyed Hossein Mousavian, head of the Iranian delegation, told reporters Monday suspension of uranium enrichment cannot go on indefinitely.

“The suspension cannot continue for a long time because this is the legitimate right of Iran, nothing illegal and Iran has done all that has been requested to create confidence,” he said. “Today the enrichment activities of Iran are completely under the supervision and control of the IAEA.”

Mr. Mousavian was named last week by an Iranian exile opposition group as one of an inner circle in the government which has a special responsibility “to prevent the disclosure of the regime’s nuclear activities from the international scene.”

The IAEA is expected to adopt a compromise resolution on Iran later this week. Diplomats say it is not likely the resolution will mention referral to the United Nations Security Council, but this may come up at the next board meeting in November if Tehran fails to comply.

Latest news

 Statistics show that New Year accidents’ deaths in Iran reached 585

Ahmad Shirani, the head of the Information and Traffic Control Center of the Iranian regime’s police, announced that the...

Land Subsidence in Critical Conditions in Isfahan

Mehdi Toghyani, a member of the Iranian regime’s Majlis (parliament), pointed to the occurrence of land subsidence in various...

Iran’s Actual Inflation Rate Higher Than Official Stats

The state-run Donya-e-eqtesad newspaper, in a report analyzing the "general sentiment" regarding inflation in 2023, has stated that households...

Iranian Workers’ Monthly $136 Wages Can’t Cover $500 Expenses

The lives of a significant portion of the Iranian population are marked by uncertainty, largely because the Iranian economy...

Iranian Nurses Earn Twice Their Wages in Ride-Hailing Services

Reza Aryanpour, a member of the regime’s Majlis (parliament) Health and Treatment Commission, highlighted the growing trend of nurses...

Iran: Unprecedented Record of 152 Million Liters of Gasoline Consumption Per Day

On March 19, Iran set a new historical record in gasoline consumption with 152 million liters consumed in one...

Must read

UK envoy tells of fear as mob rampage in Iran embassy

Reuters: Britain's ambassador to Iran described Friday how he...

Saudi Arabia suspends flights by Iran’s Mahan Air

London, 6 Apr - Saudi Arabia has suspended licenses...

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you