[ad_1]
The draft resolution, submitted by European countries to the UN nuclear watchdog’s council on Monday for a vote this week, also calls for Iran to explain again the traces of uranium found in undeclared sites and addresses other issues such as banning inspectors from entering the country.
The document seen by Reuters follows a resolution passed 18 months ago which ordered Tehran to urgently comply with a long-running investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) into the traces and called on Tehran to cooperate without delay, including by allowing the IAEA to take samples if required.
2 View Gallery
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
(Photo: AFP)
The report also addresses recent issues, such as Iran’s removal from inspection teams of many of the IAEA’s most senior uranium enrichment experts. The report calls on Iran to reverse this move and implement the March 2023 Joint Statement, which the IAEA considers a comprehensive commitment of cooperation.
“The Board urges Iran to cooperate fully with the IAEA and take the necessary and urgent steps decided upon by the Board in its November 2022 resolution to resolve the safeguards issues, which remain outstanding despite numerous interactions with the IAEA since 2019,” the document said.
Its 35-nation board meets quarterly and is one of the IAEA’s two main policy-making bodies – the other meets only once a year.
Since the 2022 resolution, investigations into where the traces were found have been narrowed from three to two, but Iran has yet to explain how the traces got there, something the IAEA calls an “unresolved safeguards issue.”
Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, are pushing for the resolution despite U.S. concerns that the move could lead to an expansion of Iran’s nuclear activities, as Iran has rejected similar resolutions in the past and taken measures in response.
Diplomats said the E3 argued such measures were necessary because Iran continues to refuse to cooperate with the IAEA and is advancing its nuclear program.
The E3 would not have submitted the document if they were not confident that the resolution would pass. Only Russia and China opposed the last resolution against Iran.
Iran has enriched uranium to 60 percent purity, close to the weapons-grade 90 percent, and has accumulated enough enriched material to make three nuclear bombs, according to IAEA standards.
Western countries say there is no civilian justification for enriching to that level, the IAEA says no other country has enriched that much without building a nuclear weapon, and Iran says its aims are entirely peaceful.
If Iran does not cooperate, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi could prepare a “comprehensive” report, the document said, which would increase further pressure on Iran.
“Iran’s continued failure to provide the necessary, full and unambiguous cooperation with the IAEA toward the resolution of outstanding safeguards issues may require the Director General to prepare a comprehensive and updated assessment of the presence or possible use of undeclared nuclear material,” the report said.
[ad_2]
Source link
