UN atomic agency votes to urge Iran to provide information about nuclear material

The UN atomic watchdog demanded that Iran fully cooperate with the agency on Thursday and provide "precise information" about its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium, as well as grant its inspectors access to the country’s nuclear sites.

The development sets the stage for a potential further escalation between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran, which has reacted strongly to similar moves by the watchdog in the past.

Nineteen countries on the IAEA's 35-member board of governors voted for the resolution, according to diplomats in Vienna who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Russia, China and Niger opposed it, while 12 countries abstained and one did not vote.

The resolution, put forward by France, the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States, says Iran must provide the IAEA with the latest information on its nuclear stockpile, "without delay."

Iran slams decision

Talking to reporters outside the IAEA boardroom, Iran's Ambassador to the IAEA Reza Najafi denounced Thursday's resolution and said that it was designed to "exert undue pressure on Iran" and propagate a "false and misleading narrative of the present situation."

He described the authors of the resolution as "deaf and visionless" and said that they maintain "an arrogant and self-assured posture" by presuming that Iran is "obliged to continue its routine cooperation with the agency even under bombardment."

Najafi said that Iran considers the current situation "far from normal," given that safeguarded facilities in Iran that contain "dangerous nuclear material" have been attacked.

Najafi said that Iran is "fully prepared for meaningful and constructive engagement" but at present, "the authors of resolutions have chosen a different course, under the mistaken belief that the pressure and threat will yield results."

Responding to questions from journalist, Najafi said Iran will announce its response at a later stage.

June air strikes

Since Israel and the United States struck Iran’s nuclear sites during the 12-day conflict in June, Iran has not given IAEA inspectors access to affected nuclear sites, even though Tehran is legally obliged to cooperate with the watchdog under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The agency also has been unable to verify the status of the stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium since the June bombing, according to a confidential IAEA report seen by the AP last week.

According to the IAEA, Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

That stockpile could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs, should it decide to weaponise its program, IAEA director general Rafael Grossi warned, but added that it doesn’t mean that Iran has such a weapon.

Such highly enriched nuclear material should normally be verified every month, according to the IAEA’s guidelines.

Cutting ties

Iran suspended all cooperation with the IAEA after the conflict with Israel. Grossi then reached an agreement with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Cairo in early September to resume inspections.

But later that month, the UN reimposed sanctions on Iran via the so-called snapback mechanism contained in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, drawing an angry response from Tehran and leading it to halt implementation of the Cairo agreement.

The snapback mechanism reactivated six UN Security Council resolutions that address Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program, reinstate economic sanctions against Iran and contain other restrictions, such as halting all uranium enrichment.

Iran has long insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful, but the IAEA and Western nations say Tehran had an organised nuclear weapons program up until 2003.