Iran and 1+5 Agreement on Proposed Resolution to the IAEA Board of Governors

On Monday, December 7, Russia and Iran announced that Tehran and the 1+5 group reached an agreement on a draft resolution to be presented at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting. The adoption of this resolution is likely to close the 'PMD' file or the military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program. If this file is closed, it will pave the way for the implementation of the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and six world powers on July 14 of this year, and international sanctions against Tehran will be lifted or suspended. The implementation process of the Vienna agreement is expected to begin in January 2016. Vladimir Voronkov, Russia's representative at the IAEA, told the Itar-Tass news agency on Monday evening that an agreement was reached on this resolution and 'it will soon be distributed among the members of the Board of Governors.' Abbas Araqchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, also told the IRNA news agency: 'The 1+5 countries have prepared a draft resolution, and we had consultations and discussions regarding its various aspects. I think there is a very good understanding that the resolution should lead to the closure of the PMD.' He, who heads the Iranian team following up on the implementation of the JCPOA, added: 'The Board of Governors must close the file. The path in this regard is completely clear. The understanding between us and the 1+5 is based on this, and the resolution that has been prepared has been drafted with this understanding, and God willing, it will lead to closure.' The Board of Governors is scheduled to hold an extraordinary meeting on December 15, where Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the IAEA, will present a report on the controversial aspects of Tehran's nuclear program. In this meeting, a resolution will also be discussed, which, if approved, will close the past file of Iran's nuclear program and call for further efforts by the Agency to monitor Tehran's future activities in this area. Yukiya Amano reported last week that Iran conducted studies on building a nuclear bomb before 2003 but did not take action for military use of nuclear materials. If the IAEA Board votes to close the past nuclear file of Iran, the implementation phase of the Vienna agreement will begin, under which Iran must reduce its enriched uranium stock to 300 kilograms at a purity level of 3.6% and decrease its centrifuges to 6,104 units. Viktor Voronkov, Russia's representative at the Agency, previously reported that Iran's enriched uranium is set to be transferred to Russia by the end of this year in exchange for raw uranium being delivered to Tehran. In this context, Russia announced the exchange of Iran's enriched uranium this month. Israel has called for further investigations by the Agency regarding Iran's nuclear program. Iran welcomed the Agency's report: 'The only way to close the file is now.' Kerry: 'We never had any doubt about Iran's past nuclear activities.' The U.S.: 'Iran has cooperated with the Agency and is ready for the next step.'