Amano's Report: The Agency Does Not Distinguish Between Iran's Military and Civilian Sites

On Monday, September 11, Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated that Iran has adhered to its commitments under the 2015 nuclear agreement with the P5+1 countries. According to Reuters, Amano mentioned in his statement to the Board of Governors that the agency has been continuously verifying and monitoring Iran's activities since the implementation of the nuclear agreement, which Iran is committed to executing. He noted that Iran has kept its promises and that the agency has not had a special policy towards Iran, but will continue its duties towards Iran based on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the Security Council resolution in a 'neutral' manner. Amano added that if the agency detects any suspicious activities or materials that violate the nuclear agreement, it can request access to all facilities, including military sites, from Iran. He emphasized that the IAEA does not differentiate between military and civilian sites and will request access whenever necessary. He also stated that the agency must provide reasons for its suspicions about Iran, meaning that credible information regarding Iran's violations of the nuclear agreement must first be presented to the agency. Amano clarified that there are no signs of Iran's violations, and Washington has not provided such information either. While Amano speaks of Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement, the U.S. State Department is set to report to Congress on October 15 regarding Iran's adherence to its commitments under the Vienna nuclear agreement, which it prepares every 90 days. Preliminary reports suggest that the Trump administration might announce Iran's non-compliance with the nuclear agreement. In recent months, U.S. officials have stated that the agency should visit Iran's military bases, while Iranian officials argue that such visits are not foreseen in the nuclear agreement. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, outlined the Trump administration's roadmap for gradually distancing itself from the nuclear agreement in a speech last week. Although Haley stated that a final decision regarding the refusal to certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement has not yet been made, she implied that the U.S. government's decision on this matter has been made and is only waiting for the appropriate time to announce it. The U.S. representative to the UN also stated that he does not know what decision Donald Trump will make regarding the nuclear agreement, as this is a decision he will make alone. Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, speculated in an interview with the German magazine 'Der Spiegel' that if the U.S. withdraws from the JCPOA, Iran might remain committed to it like other partners of the agreement, such as the European Union and European countries. Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, also said on Monday during a press conference regarding the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA: 'All of these are speculations, and we must wait. A correct judgment and decision will be made by the high supervisory board on the implementation of the JCPOA, and actions will be taken that are in the country's best interest.'