Iran dismissed the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report as “repeating far-fetched questions” after the agency said it could not guarantee Tehran’s nuclear program would be “exceptionally peaceful” as the agency’s report further complicates diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the world. powers, including the United States.
Iranian Atomic Energy Organization spokesman Behruz Kamalvandi said in a statement, “The quarterly report…is nothing more than a repetition of previous contrived cases that were prepared for political purposes, according to the IRNA website.
“Iran will give a strong legal response to this report” during the meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna September 12-16, he added.
“It cannot guarantee that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful,” the IAEA said in a report.
Iran did not respond to the agency
The report added: Agency Director General Rafael Grossi is increasingly concerned that Iran has not responded to the Agency on pending safeguards issues during the reporting period and therefore no progress has been made on their resolution.
The agency is seeking answers from Iran about the presence of nuclear materials at three unauthorized sites, and the issue led to a resolution criticizing Iran at a meeting of the agency’s board of governors in June.
For its part, Iran, which insists its nuclear program is peaceful, on Tuesday again demanded that the International Atomic Energy Agency close the list of undeclared facilities to allow for a common understanding in negotiations to renew the nuclear deal.
Deal hopes fade In another report, released Wednesday, the agency also denounced Iran’s June decision to halt operation of 27 surveillance cameras, citing “impact affecting the ability” to verify the civilian nature of the nuclear program.
delete cameras
The report said the removal of the cameras had “harmful consequences for the agency’s ability to provide assurances of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.”
But Kamalvandi said that the issue of surveillance cameras would be addressed in any agreement to revive the nuclear deal.
However, he stressed that the US will also not live up to its commitment to lift economic sanctions imposed by former President Donald Trump following his unilateral withdrawal from the agreement in 2018.
Kamalvandi said: “A return to the previous system of verification is possible subject to the fulfillment of the obligations stipulated in the nuclear agreement by all parties to the agreement.”
Minor modifications
The IAEA reports come as Tehran and Washington exchange responses to a “final” agreement drafted by European Union negotiators.
European Union High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell expressed hope that minor amendments to the draft would lead to an agreement acceptable to both sides, but said on Monday that recent statements had led to “a decrease in his confidence.”
