France, Germany, the UK and the US are pressing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to report Iran to the UN Security Council, as the nuclear watchdog warns that it remains unable to verify Tehran’s nuclear material more than a year after losing access to key facilities. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told the agency’s Board of Governors on Monday that Tehran had provided no information during the latest reporting period on the status of its declared nuclear material or facilities, and inspectors had been unable to conduct on-site verification. He described the lack of information and access as a proliferation concern that “needs to be rectified with the utmost urgency”, calling on Iran to restore effective cooperation with the IAEA.
The nuclear watchdog’s warning comes as the four Western powers seek support for a draft resolution at the 35-member board that would send the Iran issue back to the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the first time in two decades, according to . The proposed text asks Grossi to transmit the resolution, previous board decisions and his latest report to the UNSC and General Assembly. It also calls on Iran to provide the information and access required by inspectors.
Iran has rejected the move and maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Western governments were again turning to the IAEA after failing to achieve their objectives elsewhere. He argued that restrictions facing inspectors were a consequence of US and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities and that it was unreasonable for those governments to blame Tehran for the resulting loss of access.
Baghaei warned that Iran would take “necessary measures” if the Western powers pursued the resolution. The draft has not yet been formally submitted to the board, and negotiations over its wording are continuing. Even if it is approved, any concrete action at the Security Council could face opposition from Russia and China, two of the five permanent veto powers.
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