Russia says it will block resolution issued against Iran by the IAEA

The Cradle

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said that the IAEA's "unconstructive attitude" could disrupt negotiations for a return to the JCPOA

On 10 September, the Permanent Representative of Russia to International Organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, said his nation will vote against a resolution condemning Iran if it is submitted for a vote at the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

There should be no illusion. If a draft resolution on #Iran is tabled in the #IAEA Board of Governors Russia will vote against. As I tweeted yesterday there is no need for a resolution which would be not only senseless but extremely detrimental. Let’s better count on diplomacy. https://t.co/XaSzqI9HgC

— Mikhail Ulyanov (@Amb_Ulyanov) September 10, 2021

Over the past week, the IAEA has issued two reports to member states which detail Tehran’s alleged lack of cooperation over outstanding safeguards issues, monitoring equipment, and its violations of the 2015 nuclear deal – a deal which ended after former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in order to begin a “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign against the Islamic Republic.

The Russian official’s call for diplomacy comes two days after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned the IAEA of the consequences of its “unconstructive attitude” towards Iran during a phone call with European Council President Charles Michel.

“Instances of Iran’s serious cooperation with the agency serve as shining examples of its will to observe transparency in its nuclear activities,” President Raisi said, adding that “the agency’s unconstructive attitude will disrupt the course of the negotiations.”

After reaching a technical understanding with the IAEA in February which called for Tehran to retain recordings from its nuclear sites in a bid to convince the US to remove economic sanctions, the Islamic Republic made the autonomous decision to stop its voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol which allowed the IAEA to carry out short notice inspections of its nuclear facilities.

This decision was made in accordance with the Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions law passed by the Iranian parliament last year, which allows the country to restrict IAEA inspections in order to continue freely developing its nuclear energy program.