Iran's Reaction to US Emphasis on IAEA Access to Military Facilities

In response to recent statements by US officials regarding the necessity for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to access Iran's military bases, the spokesperson for the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry stated that access to "prohibited areas under the JCPOA" will not be granted. Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for Iran's diplomatic apparatus, emphasized Iran's "commitment" to its obligations towards the IAEA during an interview with the IRIB news agency on Sunday, asserting that Iran will not allow others to enter areas prohibited by the JCPOA agreements. He referred to the recent meeting between Nikki Haley, the US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Yukiya Amano, the IAEA Director General, stating that "the Agency, considering its independence and the protection it must maintain of its international position, is unlikely to yield to unreasonable and unrealistic demands from others." Last week, Haley visited Vienna, the IAEA headquarters, where she expressed concern in a press conference in New York that IAEA inspectors do not have access to Iran's military bases. She expressed confidence in the Agency but noted that they are dealing with a country that has a history of deception and secret nuclear programs. She called for the Agency to utilize all its powers to ensure that Iran adheres to its nuclear agreement with world powers. In this context, Bahram Qasemi reiterated that the JCPOA is a "multilateral agreement" and that Iran is committed to it, urging others to fulfill their commitments diligently. Qasemi stressed to the European members of the 1+5 that they must counter what he described as the unilateral and one-sided policies of the US and not allow one country to unilaterally undermine the JCPOA. Regarding the US emphasis on visiting Iran's military facilities, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, also told reporters on Sunday that "some are trying to undermine the JCPOA and provoke Iran into making decisions that would provide them with the pretext they seek." He added that this issue is being reviewed and pursued by the JCPOA oversight committee, and "as far as he knows," Mohammad Javad Zarif and the Foreign Ministry are "seriously pursuing the matter." Salehi also announced that a meeting of the foreign ministers of Iran and the 5+1 group regarding the JCPOA is likely to take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, adding that "he feels" that Zarif will likely take action regarding such a meeting. Since Donald Trump's administration, the US has criticized Iran for what it sees as a failure to adhere to the spirit of the nuclear agreement, as US officials believe the JCPOA is supposed to lead to Iran's participation in regional and global peace and stability, and Iran's "destabilizing actions" contradict this. The evidence US officials cite regarding Iran's destabilizing and destructive behaviors includes "Iran's role in escalating conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon," and "support for attacks on Israel," with the US labeling Iran as "the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism." Trump himself has been a staunch critic of the JCPOA since his election campaign, deeming it a very bad deal, and recently stated he does not believe Iran is adhering to the spirit of the nuclear agreement. In contrast, Iranian officials accuse the US of wanting to eliminate the JCPOA at Iran's expense, with the Iranian Foreign Minister stating that if US officials want to "stop this agreement," they must "pay the price." Iranian officials and military commanders have repeatedly denied the possibility of IAEA inspectors accessing military bases. The Trump administration has confirmed Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement twice in reports to Congress, although a recent report by the American publication Foreign Policy indicated Trump's dissatisfaction with his State Department regarding the JCPOA, stating that the President had tasked a "trusted group of White House staff" to prepare a "potential case" proving Iran's non-compliance with the JCPOA text. According to this report, the group's mission is to "ensure that this does not happen again in the next 90-day period." The US government must report to Congress every 90 days regarding Iran's compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA, with the next report due in early autumn. In this context, the US ambassador stated that IAEA inspectors must gain access to Iran's military bases. Zarif remarked that domestic critics had unrealistic expectations of the JCPOA. Iran's representation at the IAEA protested Haley's visit to Vienna. Iran deemed Haley's meeting with Amano as a "violation of the JCPOA provisions." Haley questioned the IAEA about access to Iran's military facilities.