International nuclear watchdog puts pressure on Iran to cooperate, ‘immediately comply’ with safeguards

The United Nations international nuclear watchdog announced Friday that it has “serious concern[s]” regarding Iran’s inability to comply with contractual safeguard obligations.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a resolution Friday, calling on Iran to allow international inspectors to visit the sites of two nuclear facilities and provide full cooperation in accordance with IAEA agreements.

“Iran has so far shown no intention of curtailing the ongoing expansion of its nuclear program and for months has refused to provide the answers and access required for the IAEA to conduct its critical verification work,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Friday.

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The resolution marks the first time France, Germany and the United Kingdom have voiced support alongside the United States after President Trump pulled out of the Iranian Nuclear Deal in 2018.

The IAEA, under its new director general, Rafael Grossi, also said that Iran needs to fully and clearly address questions regarding “possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear related activities.”

The resolution put forward France, Germany and the United Kingdom passed 25-2, with seven abstentions. China and Russia were the only two countries who voted against the resolution that called for cooperation from Iran.

Iran rejected the resolution and said it will fully partake in inspections and safeguard obligations through the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran Nuclear Deal.

POMPEO: ALL IRAN SANCTIONS WAIVERS COVERING NUCLEAR PROJECTS ARE ENDING

“Iran strongly deplores the move by the E3 [France, Germany and the United Kingdom] to follow such a path that has nothing to do with the technical facts on the ground but is the result of biased, non-professional and political agenda,” the Iranian Ambassador to the IAEA Kazem Gharibabadi said Friday, according to the Tehran Times.

China, an ally of Iran, submitted a five-page letter to the IAEA in support of the Islamic Republic and stressed that repercussions from the new resolution could the destroy “the entire global non-proliferation regime,” according to a report by Bloomberg.

China further accused the U.S. of “bullying” Iran and suggested that China’s strained relationship with the Western countries is contributing to the increasingly tense relationships with Iran.

Iran has allowed 33 inspections of its nuclear facilities, but denied access to two facilities, according to the director general.

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“This is the first time in history in which an IAEA Member State has denied access it is obligated to provide under its Additional Protocol agreement with the Agency,” IAEA Ambassador Jackie Wolcott said in statement Friday.

“Nothing less than full implementation of Iran’s safeguards obligations is acceptable,” Wolcott added.

Pompeo reiterated that Iran is legally obligated to grant access to the IAEA, and address any and all questions regarding their nuclear program.

“If Iran fails to cooperate, the international community must be prepared to take further action,” Pompeo said Friday.