Iran Rejects Any Inspections of Its Military Bases by the Agency

Two officials of the Islamic Republic on Tuesday, September 7, rejected any inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of Iran's military bases, deeming access to these sites as "an expression of America's wish." Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, the spokesperson for Hassan Rouhani's government, stated in a press conference that "the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the responsible agencies have clearly announced that information about Iran's military sites is classified and secret, and access to these sites - especially by America - is certainly an expression of their wish." According to IRNA, he commented on the remarks by the U.S. representative to the United Nations regarding the possibility of IAEA visits to Iran's military centers under the JCPOA, adding: "We are determined to defend any matter that secures national interests, and these statements are not worth listening to." Donald Trump, the U.S. President, who opposes the nuclear agreement reached in July 2015 between Iran and six world powers, has called for a review of this agreement, and the U.S. State Department has also assigned a team for this purpose. Nikki Haley, the U.S. representative to the United Nations, who visited Vienna last week and met with Yukiya Amano, the director-general of the Agency, also has a hardline stance on this agreement and has asked the Agency to visit Iran's military sites for a precise verification of Tehran's nuclear program. On September 3, she expressed concern that IAEA inspectors do not have access to Iran's military bases. These remarks provoked anger among Iranian officials, and Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated on September 5 that Tehran would not allow "access to prohibited areas under the JCPOA." Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to the Supreme Leader on international affairs, followed up on these criticisms on Tuesday, stating sharply: "Americans should bury this wish that they can visit our military sites, which are part of Iran's national security, under the pretext of the JCPOA or any other pretext." According to IRNA, he emphasized: "We will not allow them to visit our military facilities at any cost." Velayati considered the U.S. government's positions regarding the JCPOA to be for "domestic consumption" and added: "We will not allow America or anyone else to visit our military sites at all." Amir Hatami, the Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Support of Iran, also reacted to the remarks of the U.S. representative at the UN, stating: "Nikki Haley is not at a level to make such claims, and her claim is not even worth mentioning." Based on a U.S. congressional resolution, the State Department must report every 90 days on whether Iran has adhered to its commitments under the JCPOA. The Trump administration has confirmed this adherence twice so far, with the next deadline being in the upcoming month of Mehr. As Reuters reported, the U.S. President has stated that he does not believe this adherence will be confirmed next time. Under the JCPOA, the Agency can request inspections of facilities suspected of having nuclear materials or conducting nuclear activities. Agency inspectors have confirmed over the past two years that Iran has fully complied with the terms of the nuclear agreement, under which it has reduced its enriched uranium stockpiles and taken necessary steps to guarantee that they are not used for nuclear weapons production. In return for Iran's commitments, the international community has lifted or reduced crippling sanctions against Tehran. Before the JCPOA, Iran repeatedly rejected the Agency's requests to inspect its military sites, but shortly after this agreement, inspectors were allowed to visit the Parchin military base, where Western intelligence agencies believe Iran conducted explosive tests related to nuclear activities over the past decade. Iran has denied these allegations. In this context, Iran's reaction to the U.S. insistence on the necessity of the Agency's access to military facilities deemed Nikki Haley's meeting with Yukiya Amano as "a violation of the JCPOA." The Iranian representation at the Agency protested Nikki Haley's trip to Vienna.