WANA (Mar 05) – The European Union’s representative in Vienna issued a statement on Monday, urging Iran to adhere to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 and its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The statement, however, made no mention of the failures of the UK, Germany, France, or the United States in upholding their own obligations.

 

The statement came following the quarterly meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors. While IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reaffirmed the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program and called for engagement between Iran and the U.S., the EU statement emphasized that “preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains a top security priority for the European Union.”

 

It further urged all countries to support the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA, which serves as the basis for IAEA inspections. Despite the EU’s concerns over Iran’s nuclear advancements, the statement notably omitted any reference to the Trump administration’s 2018 withdrawal from the JCPOA and the subsequent reimposition of sanctions.

 

It also failed to acknowledge the failure of European signatories to uphold their commitments. Instead, the EU reiterated its concerns, stating, “Iran’s nuclear advancements over the past five years are highly alarming. The risk of nuclear proliferation in the region is increasing due to Iran’s expanding nuclear program. We remain committed to a diplomatic solution to address this issue.”

 

The EU also accused Iran of deviating significantly from its JCPOA commitments, stating that “Iran has gained irreversible nuclear knowledge and expertise.” The statement expressed particular concern over “Iran’s significant increase in the production and accumulation of highly enriched uranium and its expanded uranium enrichment operations.”

 

Iran’s gradual reduction of JCPOA compliance followed the U.S. withdrawal from the deal and the reimposition of sanctions by former President Donald Trump. After a year of waiting for Europe to uphold its commitments, Tehran announced a phased reduction in compliance in response to the U.S. breach.

 

However, the EU, despite its own violations of the deal, stated that “Iran’s actions pose serious nuclear proliferation risks and raise concerns about its intentions, as they lack any credible civilian justification.”

 

The EU also echoed concerns about Iran’s stance on nuclear weapons, stating, “We remain troubled by statements from Iranian officials regarding the country’s nuclear capabilities.” However, Iranian authorities have consistently reiterated that nuclear weapons have no place in Iran’s defense doctrine, a position acknowledged by Grossi, who has confirmed the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.

 

Despite these acknowledgments, the EU reiterated its criticism, stating, “Iran has suspended the implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA. For four years, the IAEA has been unable to conduct key verification and monitoring activities related to the deal. As a result, the agency cannot provide assurances regarding the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.”

 

The EU further accused Iran of blocking IAEA inspections, stating, “We deeply regret that Iran ultimately refused to approve four experienced inspectors recently proposed by the IAEA, despite its prior agreement.” It also claimed that “Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state systematically producing and stockpiling highly enriched uranium, a matter of concern for both the IAEA and the EU.”

 

Reiterating its demands, the EU called on Iran to “alter its concerning nuclear trajectory and return to full compliance with its non-proliferation obligations without further delay.” It urged Iran to resume provisional implementation of the Additional Protocol, formally ratify it, and restore all monitoring and verification measures under the JCPOA.

 

“This, alongside full implementation of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) and Modified Code 3.1, is essential to building international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program,” the statement added.

 

Concluding its statement, the EU emphasized that “timely and full cooperation with the IAEA is absolutely critical.” It reaffirmed its full support for the agency’s efforts to continue long-term verification and monitoring in Iran and expressed backing for Grossi’s engagement with Iran to secure necessary cooperation and resolve outstanding issues. “We explicitly urge Iran to engage effectively with the IAEA without further delay,” the EU statement concluded.