US Representative Warns Iran: Do Not Cooperate with Agency, Extraordinary Meeting Will Be Held

The US representative on the second day of the IAEA Board of Governors meeting warned that if the Islamic Republic of Iran continues its non-cooperation with the Agency, an extraordinary meeting will be held to address “this crisis”.

The statement by Louis L. Bono, US Chargé d’Affaires to International Organizations in Vienna, was published on the official website of the US mission on Thursday, December 4, during the meeting.

The regular session of the IAEA Board of Governors began on Wednesday. Following renewed lockdowns in Austria that have been in effect since last Monday, this meeting continues online for three days.

Louis Bono, in this meeting held regarding the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic, accused the Iranian government of non-cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

He stressed that if the Islamic Republic does not cease this practice, the Board of Governors will hold an extraordinary meeting to address “this crisis”.

According to the US representative, this cooperation should include “credible and verifiable clarifications regarding the origin and current location of nuclear material or equipment that sampling has shown existed at three undeclared locations”.

On this basis, the Islamic Republic should cooperate with the Agency to provide transparent information about the location and activities related to the storage of natural uranium – in the form of metal discs – which is related to the fourth undeclared location.

The US representative, noting that after two years, the Agency’s questions remain unanswered by the Iranian government, stated: “As we have consistently emphasized, these questions relate to Iran’s legal obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and not obligations under the JCPOA”.

Louis Bono clarified: “If the issue of Iran’s non-cooperation in various matters, including those raised under the JCPOA and particularly ensuring the continuation of the Agency’s knowledge of the Karaj site, is not resolved immediately, the Board will have no choice but to hold an extraordinary meeting before the end of this calendar year to address this crisis”.

He also expressed concern about the Islamic Republic’s decision to suspend implementation of the Additional Protocol and the fruitless visit of Rafael Grossi, the Agency’s Director General, after two months to Tehran, stating: “This negatively affects the Agency’s ability to provide credible assurance regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran”.

According to reports, Rafael Grossi told the IAEA Board of Governors that no particular results were achieved from negotiations held this week in Tehran regarding Iran’s nuclear program. He added that he will not abandon “efforts to reach some form of understanding with Iran”.

The US representative further emphasized the necessity of Board unity and the implementation of coordinated action to prevent the current process of the Islamic Republic’s efforts and its obstruction of Board affairs.

The Islamic Republic claims that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has the right to access nuclear technology for non-military and peaceful purposes.

This is while three European powers involved in the JCPOA issued a joint statement this week expressing deep concern about the increasing development of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, warning of the consequences of 20 percent and 60 percent uranium enrichment by Iran.

In a joint statement by France, Britain, and Germany addressed to the IAEA Board of Governors, it stated that “Iran has no acceptable non-military justification for 20 percent and 60 percent enrichment, and the production of uranium enriched at this level is unprecedented for a country without a weapons program”.

Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the remaining JCPOA parties, which were suspended in June of this year due to Ebrahim Raisi’s election as president, are scheduled to resume in Vienna on December 8. The United States, having withdrawn from the JCPOA, has so far participated indirectly in these negotiations.

The goal of these negotiations is to compel Iran to resume implementation of its commitments under the JCPOA framework and for Washington to lift its sanctions against Tehran.

On Wednesday, the US National Public Radio (NPR) published an interview with Robert Malley, the US Special Representative for Iran, in which he emphasized that if Iran is not prepared to return to the JCPOA in next week’s nuclear negotiations and is “very close” to building a nuclear bomb, the United States will not sit idle.

Louis Bono, in the concluding section of his remarks, expressing concern about the continued misconduct and intimidation of IAEA inspectors during body searches by Islamic Republic security personnel, stated: “Two months ago, Board members sent a clear message to Iran that misconduct and intimidation of inspectors is unacceptable and must stop immediately”.

The International Atomic Energy Agency reacted on September 15 by issuing a statement to the physical harassment of female inspectors of the Agency by guards at Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling the reported cases “unacceptable”.

The American newspaper “Wall Street Journal” also reported on September 23, citing Western diplomats, that guards at Iran’s nuclear facilities have repeatedly physically harassed female inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency over the past several months.

Some diplomats had previously expressed concern that making these cases public might damage relations between the Agency and Iran in reaching an agreement.

Source: Radio Farda