Signing of Roadmap Between Iran and the Agency; 'Separate Agreement' on Parchin

According to a 'roadmap' signed on Tuesday, July 14, just hours before the official announcement of Iran's comprehensive nuclear agreement with the 5+1 group, the two sides reached a 'separate agreement' regarding the military site of Parchin. Under this roadmap, Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreed to resolve all 'major past and present issues' that have remained unresolved by the end of the current calendar year, 2015. The IAEA published the text of this roadmap on its website under the title 'Roadmap for Clarifying Major Issues Related to Iran's Nuclear Program Past and Present.' This document, signed by Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization and deputy to Hassan Rouhani, and Yukiya Amano, director general of the IAEA, outlines the timeline of tasks and responsibilities for Iran and the Agency until the end of the current calendar year. However, perhaps the most important clause of this roadmap pertains to the military site of Parchin near Tehran, which states: 'Iran and the Agency agreed to take a separate arrangement regarding the Parchin issue.' Nevertheless, this clause does not mention any details of this 'separate arrangement.' The Agency last reported on Friday, May 29, in a confidential report obtained by Reuters, that it still seeks answers from Iran regarding access to the Parchin military site. This international body claims that despite previous sampling during inspections of this facility, it has obtained new information and needs to sample Parchin again, but Tehran has prevented Agency inspectors from visiting Parchin in recent years. According to the roadmap announced on Tuesday, Iran and the Agency have agreed to accelerate their cooperation and dialogue with the aim of resolving all major issues by the end of 2015. Previously, Yukiya Amano, the director general of the Agency, indicated on Saturday, July 4, that the Agency's report on potential military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program could be ready by the end of the current year. Mr. Amano suggested that 'if Iran cooperates,' the Agency's report on its investigations into Iran's past activities in nuclear weapons could be prepared by the end of this calendar year. According to the new roadmap between Iran and the Agency, Iran is required to submit its explanations in writing, along with relevant documents regarding the major existing issues to the Agency by August 15, one month from now, and the Agency is obliged to review these explanations within one month, by September 15, and then raise any questions it may have with Iran. As stated in this roadmap, the Agency ultimately has until December 15, 2015, to deliver its 'final assessment' of the existing solutions to the Agency's Board of Governors.