Diplomatic Sources: New Resolution Against Iran's Nuclear Program Presented

Diplomatic sources told AFP that Western countries officially presented a new critical resolution against the Islamic Republic of Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ahead of the agency's board meeting on Wednesday. A diplomatic source, who requested anonymity, stated to AFP, "The text was officially sent before midnight on Tuesday," and a second diplomatic source confirmed this information. Previously, Iran's Foreign Minister had warned about the presentation of a new resolution, stating that such an action would only complicate the matter further. According to AFP, Western powers are seeking to condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran for its weak cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog regarding its nuclear program. Yesterday, Reuters reported that the Islamic Republic proposed not to increase its enriched uranium reserves to 60 percent, provided that Western powers also refrain from passing a resolution against the Islamic Republic at the IAEA Board of Governors. According to Reuters, the IAEA stated in one of its two confidential reports that the Islamic Republic has begun preliminary steps to implement this proposal. However, Western diplomats described this proposal as a "last-minute effort" to avoid condemnation and emphasized that 60 percent enrichment has no civilian justification and that the Islamic Republic could easily resume this process. Reuters also noted that the Islamic Republic's enriched uranium reserves had reached 182.3 kilograms as of October 26, which is sufficient to produce four nuclear weapons according to agency standards. Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. Reuters reports that in the second agency report, it is mentioned that the Islamic Republic has agreed to consider the entry of four new inspectors into the country, but these inspectors cannot be among those previously banned from working in Iran. According to this report, the resolution presented by Britain, France, Germany, and the United States condemns the Islamic Republic for insufficient cooperation with the agency and calls for a comprehensive report on the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities. Reuters added that this resolution is likely to be approved, as only Russia and China traditionally oppose such resolutions. Reuters emphasized that the aim of this resolution is to increase pressure on the Islamic Republic to return to negotiations and accept new restrictions on its nuclear program. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department stated on Tuesday at a press conference that Washington fully supports efforts to hold Iran accountable for its lack of cooperation with the IAEA, in complete coordination with its European partners. Matthew Miller, in response to a question from a VOA Persian reporter regarding recent IAEA reports and the efforts of three European countries to reprimand the Islamic Republic for its lack of cooperation with this UN oversight body, said, "Before the IAEA Board of Governors meeting, we are fully coordinated with our partners in Europe and strongly support all efforts to hold the Iranian government accountable."