WANA (Feb 26) – The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) has accused the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of acting under political influence by refusing to accept Tehran’s responses to safeguard-related inquiries.

 

“When the IAEA Director-General says Iran should resolve its issues with Trump, it clearly indicates that the matter is political, not technical,” Mohammad Eslami said on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting on Monday.

 

Nuclear Defense Drills Amid Constant Threats

Addressing reporters, Eslami stated that threats against Iran’s nuclear facilities persist. He announced that a nuclear defence drill would be conducted at nuclear sites over the next two days, emphasizing Iran’s resilience. “Iran is stronger than the enemy assumes, and our infrastructure is not vulnerable,” he asserted.

 

Iran-IAEA Dispute Over Safeguards Questions

Regarding Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA on safeguards questions, Eslami reiterated that Iran has provided its responses, but political pressure prevents their acceptance. “The agency has received Iran’s answers, yet there is a political will to reject them,” he said. “When the IAEA director-general links Iran’s nuclear issues to the Trump administration, it proves the matter is political rather than technical.”

 

IAEA Report and European Pressure

Eslami noted that the upcoming IAEA report would have two components: one addressing safeguards issues and another related to the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA). “The three European countries have increased their pressure on the IAEA regarding this report,” he said. “We hope the agency will uphold its legal obligations, respect the rights of all nations, and refrain from political maneuvering or yielding to extralegal pressures.”

 

Progress at Bushehr Nuclear Plant

Eslami also provided updates on Iran’s nuclear energy development, particularly in Bushehr:

Activities at the Bushehr nuclear power plant are progressing well, and we hope to maintain this momentum. Building a nuclear power plant takes seven to nine years under optimal conditions. While the second and third Bushehr reactor projects faced delays, work resumed at an accelerated pace in 2024.

 

Currently, around 5,000 people are working on the project. Our goal, as committed in the Seventh Development Plan, is to complete an additional 2,000 megawatts of nuclear capacity—raising the country’s total nuclear power generation from 1,000 MW to 3,000 MW.