UN nuclear watchdog board passes resolution demanding answers, access from Iran

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The 35-nation board of governors of the UN nuclear watchdog passed a resolution on Thursday saying Iran should be informed “without delay” of the status of its enriched uranium stockpile and nuclear sites bombed, diplomats said in a closed-door meeting.

The resolution was primarily intended to renew and adjust the International Atomic Energy Agency’s mandate to report on aspects of Iran’s nuclear program, but it also stated that Iran must immediately provide the IAEA with answers and access to it, five months after the Israeli and US airstrikes.

Iran, which says its nuclear aims are entirely peaceful, warned that the US and Europe’s top three powers proposed the resolution, which if passed would “severely affect” Tehran’s cooperation with the agency.

“Our message is clear: Iran must address its security issues without delay. It must provide practical support through access, responses, resumption of monitoring to help the agency carry out its work and help rebuild confidence,” the US, UK, France and Germany said in a statement to the board.

IAEA: Ratification ‘long overdue’

Diplomats at the meeting in Vienna said the resolution was passed with 19 votes in favour, three against and 12 abstentions. Russia, China and Niger were the countries that opposed it.

“Iran is a must […] Provide the agency with precise information about nuclear material accounting and secure nuclear facilities in Iran, and the agency needs all access to verify that information. “

Iran has still not allowed inspectors to bomb nuclear sites in Israel and in June, and the IAEA said the accounting of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, which includes near-bomb-grade material, is “long overdue” and the issue needs to be addressed urgently.

The IAEA cannot inspect the bombardment facilities or verify Iran’s uranium stocks until Tehran submits an update on what happened to them. The bombed sites included three Iranian enrichment plants that were operating at the time.

When Israel first bombed Iran’s nuclear sites on June 13, the IAEA estimated that Iran had 440.9 kilos of uranium enriched to a purity of 60 fissiselie, a small step from about 90 percent of weapons grade, allowing for easy further enrichment.

Iran says it can enrich itself to whatever level it wants for its peaceful purposes.

According to the IAEA yardstick, this is in principle enough, if further enriched, for 10 nuclear bombs.

Iran says there will be ‘consequences’

Western powers say there is no civilian explanation for such high levels of reinforcement, and the IAEA says it is “a matter of grave concern”.

“We strongly believe that any provocative action – such as the introduction of another resolution – would jeopardize and potentially nullify the substantial efforts made by the (IAEA) director general and Iran to advance dialogue and cooperation,” Iran said in a joint statement with allies including Russia, China, Cuba and Belarus.

The IAEA and Iran announced an agreement in Cairo in September that was supposed to pave the way for full inspections and verification, but Tehran said last month that the deal was invalid.

“I fear that this resolution will have its own consequences,” Reza Najafi, Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, told reporters after the vote. Asked what they were, he said: “We will announce the results later.”

The only specific action announced by Iran shortly thereafter was that it was formally notifying the IAEA of the termination of the Cairo Agreement.