Confirmation of Amano's Statements Regarding Photography and Sealing of Parts of Iran's Nuclear Facilities

The spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran confirmed the statements of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding hundreds of thousands of photographs and the sealing of two thousand points in Iran's nuclear facilities, while also stating that these remarks were made to appease U.S. officials. Behrouz Kamalvandi stated in an interview with Iranian state television that the sealing of parts of Iran's nuclear facilities was temporary and aimed at accounting for nuclear materials. He also mentioned that the purpose of Yukiya Amano's statements about hundreds of thousands of photographs and sealing two thousand sections of Iran's nuclear facilities was to convince the opposing side and referred to U.S. President Donald Trump as 'a newcomer' in the political world. Trump, who has been a strong opponent of the nuclear deal since his presidential campaign, has described inspections of Iran as 'weak.' The U.S. President has also refused to certify Iran's compliance with the Vienna nuclear agreement and threatened to end it if he cannot work with Congress and U.S. allies to fix its flaws. Among Trump's grievances with the deal, which he calls 'the worst deal ever' and 'a source of shame for America,' are Iran's financial benefits from the JCPOA, the limited capabilities of the IAEA in inspections, the temporary nature of parts of the nuclear agreement, the failure of the agreement to prevent missile tests, and Iran's non-compliance with the spirit of the JCPOA. Trump's decision not to certify Iran's compliance with the JCPOA has given Congress a two-month window to decide on the possibility of reinstating sanctions against Iran, a matter that could jeopardize the future of this agreement. Yukiya Amano, in an interview with CBS News, stated that the cameras installed in Iran's nuclear facilities take 'hundreds of thousands' of photographs and that the IAEA has sealed two thousand points in these facilities. In this context, the spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said, 'While taking hundreds of thousands of photographs of nuclear centers in Iran is a reality, if each camera takes a picture every three seconds, thirty thousand pictures are taken in a day, pictures that are not meant to leave but remain in those cameras for reference if something happens in the future.' He emphasized that the photography of nuclear facilities is not related to the Vienna nuclear agreement and that such photography was conducted before the agreement as well. Kamalvandi also stated that before the Vienna nuclear agreement, nuclear materials were sealed when transferred to another section to determine their quantity. He noted that 'the auditing of nuclear materials is subject to certain rules' and that 'if there are two thousand seals in Iran's nuclear facilities, this number could be twenty thousand in Japan.' On November 9, the IAEA Director General described the Iran nuclear agreement with world powers as a significant achievement that allows for monitoring the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. This statement comes as U.S. officials have demanded access to Iran's military sites for verification of its nuclear program, a request that Iran has rejected. Nevertheless, the IAEA Director General stated that inspectors have had 'access to all locations that required inspection.' Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran called the IAEA Director General's reporting to U.S. officials 'a normal matter' and stated that the head of an important international organization must consult with member countries. He added, 'Of course, if Mr. Amano intends to convey confidential matters in his negotiations, it certainly poses a problem.' The spokesperson also commented on the IAEA Director General's statements regarding the possibility of agency access to Iran's military sites, stating that Iran did not accept inspections beyond the Additional Protocol in the Vienna nuclear agreement. Kamalvandi added, 'When we have sufficient assurance that there are no materials or activities in our military facilities, there is no reason for them to request access, although they have not made such a request so far.' He stated, 'The opposing side may raise a hypothetical that is almost one in a million and preemptively receive a negative response from us regarding something that is not going to happen and present it as a sign of our lack of cooperation and honesty to the international community.' Kamalvandi had previously announced that the inspection file of military sites 'is closed forever.' Reuters reported on September 25, quoting Yukiya Amano, that the agency's tools for verification regarding the 'T' clause of the Vienna nuclear agreement are 'limited.' According to Amano, in other areas, Iran has committed to 'providing statements, bringing its activities under safeguards, or ensuring agency access,' but nothing has been seen regarding the 'T' clause. The 'T' clause refers to activities that may contribute to the design and development of a nuclear explosive device, which is part of the first addendum of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) regarding nuclear commitments. The IAEA Board of Governors closed the file on the possible military dimensions of the nuclear program known as PMD in a special session on December 15, 2015, following the Director General's report. Critics of the JCPOA today argue that the PMD file has not been thoroughly examined and closed, and questions remain that the Trump administration should pursue.