WANA (Mar 05) – Mohsen Naziri Asl, Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN office and international organizations in Vienna, has stated that Western actions have negatively impacted the positive atmosphere resulting from Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

 

Naziri Asl, speaking at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting, expressed appreciation for IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s report on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program. He emphasized that Iran has been subject to 75% of the IAEA’s safeguard inspections, a level of oversight that would not have been possible without Iran’s unparalleled cooperation.

 

Reaffirming Tehran’s commitment to continued engagement with the IAEA, Naziri Asl stated that Iran aims to resolve two outstanding safeguard issues with the agency.

 

The Iranian envoy condemned the United States, the European troika (France, Germany, and the UK), and the European Union for their “destructive actions,” including issuing joint statements and passing anti-Iran resolutions.

 

He asserted that such measures weaken Iran-IAEA cooperation and hinder the resolution of remaining issues. Furthermore, he accused these countries of violating their obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

 

Naziri Asl warned that passing anti-Iran resolutions undermines the constructive atmosphere fostered by Iran-IAEA cooperation.

 

He also noted that previous key issues with the IAEA have already been resolved, and Iran continues to work with the agency on outstanding matters. He criticized calls for the IAEA chief to submit a comprehensive report on the issue, calling them legally baseless and unjustifiable.

 

The Iranian representative highlighted that Tehran has voluntarily taken confidence-building measures under various joint statements, including the March 4, 2023, declaration.

 

He stressed that any progress in Iran-IAEA cooperation must be acknowledged by the Board of Governors and that a clear distinction should be maintained between a country’s legal obligations under safeguard agreements and its voluntary measures, ensuring that the latter do not become binding commitments.