This week, the IAEA Board of Governors’ meeting in Vienna became the stage for serious warnings from Europe and the U.S. about the state of Iran’s nuclear program.
In a statement, the European Union stressed that Iran must immediately resume cooperation with the IAEA, declaring that Tehran’s withdrawal from its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) and its halt of safeguards cooperation have “seriously undermined” the agency’s ability to assess the nature of Iran’s nuclear program.
The EU representative, referring to the initiation of the “snapback mechanism” at the UN Security Council, said that a critical moment has arrived, and Tehran must take immediate and concrete steps to show it is seeking a diplomatic solution.
Europe also welcomed the recent agreement between Iran and the IAEA to resume inspections, reminding that its immediate and full implementation is “non-negotiable.”
NCRI-US Reveals Iran’s Secret Nuclear Weapon Program – The Kavir Plan
At the same time, Howard Solomon, the U.S. representative to the IAEA, called immediate action by Iran’s regime “vital and necessary” and warned that if non-cooperation continues, the Board of Governors must be ready to take tougher measures.
He described Iran’s suspension of its nuclear commitments as “unacceptable and deeply concerning,” emphasizing that Washington is ready to negotiate in good faith, but it is Tehran that refuses to engage.
The three European countries—Britain, France, and Germany—also issued a joint statement declaring that future promises are not enough and that Iran must show evidence of diplomatic readiness today.
They warned that the IAEA’s oversight of Iran’s nuclear program has “almost reached zero” and that thousands of kilograms of enriched uranium remain unverified.
These countries also pointed to recent reports about the construction of new enrichment facilities in Isfahan, which, due to Tehran’s lack of cooperation, have not even been open to inspection.
According to them, Iran is the only country without nuclear weapons that has enriched uranium beyond JCPOA limits and has provided no credible civilian justification for it.
In contrast, Russia criticized Europe and the U.S. for pressuring Iran. Russia’s mission in Vienna described the stance of the three European countries as “stubbornness” and said they had failed to resolve issues related to the JCPOA. Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s representative, suggested that the original JCPOA parties hold urgent consultations to prevent a new crisis.
In conclusion, the EU and the U.S. stressed that diplomacy will only be meaningful if Iran fully resumes cooperation with the IAEA. Otherwise, triggering the snapback mechanism will automatically reinstate UN Security Council sanctions against Iran’s regime.
