This Sunday, the European Union called on Iran to “without delay” reconsider the veto imposed on International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and expressed concern about the impact of that decision on the country’s ability to monitor the nuclear agreement.
On Saturday, the Islamic Republic informed the United Nations agency of its decision to withdraw the accreditation of “several” of its inspectors responsible for carrying out verification activities under the 2015 agreement with Iran signed, in the context of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. of nuclear weapons.
In a statement issued this Sunday, the EU anticipates one “severe impact” on “the agency’s ability to carry out its verification tasks”.
The Treaty, signed by the United States, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and Iran, under EU coordination, has been under discussion since former President Donald Trump announced the United States’ withdrawal in 2018.
Since then, Iran has increased production of enriched uranium to levels close to those needed to build nuclear bombs.
The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has already condemned Iran’s “unprecedented” gesture.
Tehran ordered the withdrawal of “one-third of the core group” of experts, which “directly and drastically affects” the agency’s ability to carry out its mission and ensure the peaceful nature of the Iranian program’s nuclear activities, Rafael Grossi emphasized in a statement. .
This decision ‘one-sided, disproportionate and unprecedented’ is ‘another step in the wrong direction’ and ‘deals an unnecessary blow to an already tense relationship’he declared, calling on Tehran to “revise its position” and “correct the situation.”
Iran defended its decision and accused the United States, Britain, France and Germany of “politicizing” the current pact.
“Despite Iran’s positive, constructive and continued interactions with the IAEA, the three European countries and the United States have abused the agency’s board of directors for their own political purposes,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. Naser Kanani.
Kanani said the aim of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the United States is to “damage the atmosphere of cooperation between Iran and the agency,” calling for “neutrality.”
The United States and the three European countries in the E3 group (France, Germany and Britain) threatened Iran with a new resolution this week at the meeting of the Board of Governors in Vienna, the IAEA headquarters.
“Iran continues to persist in its deliberate refusal to cooperate with the agency,” they charged.
In response to the United States’ unilateral withdrawal, Iran has gradually freed itself from its obligations under the 2015 agreement.
The pact was intended to limit Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
Talks in Vienna by several interested parties to restart the agreement failed last year.
Source: DN
