Iran's Reaction to the IAEA Board of Governors Resolution

Following the approval of a resolution proposed by Britain, France, and Germany regarding Iran's nuclear file at the IAEA Board of Governors, officials and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic on Wednesday, June 6, deemed the approval of this resolution as an "unconstructive" action. The spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran also stated that the Islamic Republic will not yield to "pressure." Out of 35 member countries of the Board of Governors, 20 voted in favor of this resolution, while China and Russia opposed it, and 12 countries abstained. The approved resolution on Wednesday requests the Islamic Republic of Iran to "promptly" respond to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors' questions regarding the origin of uranium particles discovered at its undeclared sites. The resolution states that the presence of experienced IAEA inspectors in inspections of Iran's nuclear activities is "vital" and calls on Iran to lift the ban on these inspectors. It further states: The Board of Governors "requests Iran to revoke its decision regarding the authorization of several experienced agency inspectors, as their presence is vital for effective verification of Iran's nuclear activities." In this context, Laura Holgate, the U.S. ambassador to the IAEA, expressed concern to the Board of Governors regarding Iran's approach to the agency's requests. The statement emphasized: "Iran is a country that has previously had a nuclear weapons program and secretly initiated its enrichment program, and is now increasingly expanding its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, boasting that it is on the brink of achieving nuclear weapons capability." The U.S. delegation specified: "In recent years, Iran has repeatedly escalated its nuclear activities in response to Board of Governors resolutions instead of cooperating, including producing 60% enriched uranium at its underground facilities in Fordow." Ms. Holgate pointed out that the resolution proposed by the three European countries should be the first step in a strategy to achieve a sustainable and effective solution for Iran's nuclear program, which should also include full cooperation with the IAEA. The U.S. representative further referred to the expiration of the UN Security Council's oversight of Iran's nuclear program under Resolution 2231 of that Council. Laura Holgate emphasized: "This will be a turning point for the international community's efforts to ensure that Iran's nuclear program remains purely peaceful." In response to this Board of Governors resolution, Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, emphasized that the issuance of the resolution is "an unconstructive action." The spokesperson added: "From today, we have begun actions within the framework of safeguards. It is expected that Western countries, instead of abusing international organizations and applying pressure, will pursue a path of interaction and cooperation. They should have learned from experience that Iran does not yield to political pressures on its legitimate rights." In this context, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran condemned the approval of this resolution "in the strongest terms" and deemed it unconstructive. The statement read: "The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the presentation and approval of this resolution as a political and unconstructive act, continuing the failed policies of some Western countries and an attempt to politically exploit international mechanisms against independent countries." The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that the Islamic Republic is committed to continuing technical cooperation with the IAEA "within the framework of its international rights and obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the safeguards agreement." The statement emphasized that the issuance of this resolution has "no effect on the will of the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue the peaceful use of its nuclear energy" in accordance with the rights of the country under relevant international treaties. In this context, Iran's representative at the IAEA also emphasized the Islamic Republic's "willingness and preference" for "constructive interaction" and stated: "We are ready to respond to any unconstructive position and action." Since the approval of the previous Board of Governors resolution in 2022, the list of issues the IAEA has faced in Iran has increased, and the new resolution asks Iran to address these multiple problems. Tehran prevented many senior IAEA experts from participating in the inspection group late last summer, an act that Rafael Grossi, the agency's director-general, described as "disproportionate and unprecedented" and a "serious blow" to the agency in fulfilling its mission.