Iran Warns IAEA Resolution Will Have 'Adverse Effects' on Resolving Remaining Issues

The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency passed a resolution on Thursday that was strongly opposed by Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, according to TEHRAN TIMES.

Iran was condemned in the resolution for what was deemed to be a lack of cooperation with the UN nuclear agency.

The United States and its three European allies, Britain, France, and Germany, wrote the resolution and submitted it to the IAEA board.

Iran's ambassador to the IAEA in Vienna, Mohsen Naziri-Asl, claimed that the resolution's authors used the riots in Iran to put further political pressure on Tehran.

The 35-member board has received a resolution against Iran for the second time in the past six months from the European trio (E3) and the United States.

The proposal, according to Ambassador Naziri-Asl, "may disrupt the process of our country's cooperation" with the IAEA.

"We firmly believe that this resolution will have no result... it is intended to justify more unilateral sanctions against the Iranian nation," he said, Press TV reported.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani issued a warning just before the resolution was approved, citing the motion's "adverse implications" on the unresolved technical issues with the UN organisation.

“As a delegate from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has been progressively negotiating and interacting with the IAEA director general (Rafael Grossi) in recent weeks to find a practical solution to the complex and technical issues pertaining to the Safeguards Agreement, there is neither a technical reason whatsoever nor a safeguards urgency to submit such a resolution against Iran,” Press TV quoted Kanaani as explaining.

“The submission of this unnecessary and destructive resolution, and the political abuse of the IAEA position and capacity by the U.S. and the E3 countries have once again exposed the real intention of these countries to advance their political conspiracies and objectives,” he pointed out.

“We expect the independent and sovereign member states of the IAEA Board of Governors, which attach paramount importance to the neutrality, independence and credibility of the Agency as a technical institution, not to back the resolution and to declare their positions clearly,” he added.

However, the spokesperson for the foreign ministry emphasised that Iran is committed to carrying out the Comprehensive Safeguard Agreement and will continue to work with the Agency in accordance with the agreement.

"One should not forget the fact that the uninterrupted implementation of the Safeguards and extensive verification activities of the Agency in Iran have been possible over the past two decades only in light of Iran's cooperation and goodwill," he noted.

“While the Islamic Republic of Iran stands committed to its international obligations, it remains strong-minded and resilient to defend its national interests and rights, and confront the pressure and excessive demands of the United States and Western countries," the official said.

Iran has already expressed its willingness to engage in technical discussions with IAEA specialists about the allegations regarding allegedly "undeclared" nuclear sites, which were made based on fictitious information supplied by the Israeli state.

According to the resolution, Iran must "explain the source of the uranium particles" and, more broadly, provide the IAEA with all the information it needs.

Tehran has requested that the IAEA refrain from politicking the situation and concentrate on its technical aspects in accordance with its mandate.

Since early June, when the IAEA board passed a resolution accusing Iran of failing to cooperate with the UN body, Iran has turned off a number of IAEA cameras that were operating outside the Safeguards Agreement.