WANA (Jun 10) – The diplomatic missions of Iran, Russia, and China have issued a scathing joint statement at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting, flatly rejecting a Western-drafted resolution against Tehran and accusing IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi of politicizing his reports.

 

The joint text—read aloud on Wednesday by Moscow’s permanent representative in Vienna—warned that the draft resolution spearheaded by the United States, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom (E3) is a counterproductive maneuver designed solely to destabilize an already fragile geopolitical environment.

 

Rejecting ‘Snapback’ and Outdated Security Council Mandates

The three powers formally challenged the legal basis for holding Iran to defunct restrictions, pointing to the expiration of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.

 

“We emphasize that the current agenda item of the Board of Governors regarding the implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of UN Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran is inappropriate,” the joint statement read. “In accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), all of its provisions terminated on October 18, 2025.”

 

The alliance fiercely attacked attempts by European powers to revive older sanctions frameworks, adding:

Invalid Snapback: The trio declared efforts by the E3 to activate the so-called “snapback” mechanism as legally void and without merit.

 

Politicized Reporting: Consequently, they stated that the Director General’s ongoing reporting on these terminated resolutions serves purely political motives and severely jeopardizes comprehensive diplomatic efforts.

 

Opposing Misinformation: “We oppose any attempt to mislead member states regarding the actual status of Iran’s nuclear program, including through the Director General’s reports,” the statement noted.

 

The Fallout of Attacks on Safeguarded Facilities

The statement drew attention to unprecedented challenges facing the nuclear non-proliferation regime following military strikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

 

The trio noted that repeated attacks on safeguarded Iranian facilities, coupled with continuous threats of further aggression, have deeply undermined the core pillars of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

 

The joint statement put recent friction between Tehran and the IAEA into historical context:

June 2025 Cooperation Suspension: Following American airstrikes on its safeguarded nuclear facilities in June 2025, Tehran suspended its cooperation with the IAEA, citing the agency’s failure to condemn the aggression or protect peaceful sites.

 

The Cairo Agreement: The two sides later brokered a new framework in Cairo, allowing the IAEA monitoring access exclusively to Iran’s un-bombed facilities.

 

The Current Impasse: Despite the legal realities of the aggression, IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi has demanded unilateral access to Iran’s main enrichment facilities. However, Iranian officials have firmly stated that the Cairo Agreement was completely nullified the moment the West triggered the “snapback” mechanism.

 

A Call to Reject the Western Draft

Moscow, Tehran, and Beijing concluded by urging other members of the IAEA Board of Governors to see through the Western resolution, which is framed under the guise of “supporting” the Director General.

 

The three nations pointed out that Grossi himself did not recommend any punitive Board action in his official report. They labeled the Western push “untimely, counterproductive, and deeply politicized,” appealing to all responsible member states to refrain from supporting it.

 

A sustainable resolution, the statement concluded, can only be achieved through an immediate and permanent halt to all military strikes, the removal of threats of aggression, and strict respect for a nation’s inalienable right to develop peaceful nuclear technology without discrimination.