WANA (Jun 12) – Iran has announced a revision in its level of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following the passage of a politically motivated anti-Iran resolution by the IAEA Board of Governors, according to the spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Kamalvandi.

 

Speaking on Thursday from one of Iran’s uranium enrichment sites, Behrouz Kamalvandi, deputy head and spokesperson for the AEOI, said this was not the first time such a resolution had been adopted against Iran, and that the three European countries behind it had taken similar steps before — to no avail.

 

“They think political pressure can force Iran to retreat from its legitimate positions. But that is a major strategic mistake. They’ve tried it repeatedly, and it has failed each time,” Kamalvandi stressed.

 

Iran Responds with Proportional Measures

Kamalvandi noted that Iran had already warned that if the other side took a confrontational approach, Tehran would respond accordingly. “We had anticipated such a move. As stated in the joint statement of the Foreign Ministry and the AEOI, decisions were made at the national level, conveyed by the AEOI chief to our technical teams, and we submitted a detailed questionnaire to the IAEA outlining two specific and impactful steps.”

 

Construction of Iran’s Third Enrichment Site Underway

Among Iran’s immediate measures, Kamalvandi announced the construction and launch of a third secure enrichment facility. “This will be the third uranium enrichment complex in the country. Additionally, we are replacing the first-generation centrifuges at the Fordow site with sixth-generation machines, which will significantly increase our enriched material output,” he said.

 

He emphasized that both the Fordow facility and the new site are designed with high security, rendering external pressure ineffective. “We hope they come to their senses. We have always sought constructive engagement,” he added.

 

Political Misuse of Past Issues

Kamalvandi criticized Western states for using past allegations for political ends. “This is not a path toward engagement with Iran, and we will respond. After the previous resolution, we increased our 60% enrichment capacity sevenfold. A similar scale of response will follow now. Moreover, we’re enhancing the security level of our facilities by building a new site.”

 

72% of IAEA Inspections Conducted in Iran

Noting that “72 percent of IAEA inspections are conducted in Iran,” Kamalvandi highlighted Iran’s transparency. “Mr. Grossi [IAEA Director General] has visited Iran multiple times. We tried to create a cooperative atmosphere, but unfortunately, our goodwill was not reciprocated. Therefore, we are reassessing even the current level of cooperation.”

 

Iran Prepared for All Scenarios

Commenting on the implications of the resolution, Kamalvandi stated that while the resolution technically has the potential to refer Iran to the UN Security Council, that step is not currently being taken. “Even if they attempt it, they will achieve nothing there. They are merely using the Board of Governors to increase pressure and reactivate the so-called ‘snapback’ mechanism.”

 

He concluded by emphasizing Iran’s readiness: “We are prepared for any scenario. If we are to defend our rights, we must stand firm, be strategic, and disillusion them. President Obama once said that if he could dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, he would — but he couldn’t. We must remind American and Western officials of this reality once again.”