Western diplomats seek to use new IAEA reports to declare Tehran in violation of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty
News Desk - The Cradle
A report issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and sent to member states on Saturday said Iran's stock of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent purity had grown by roughly half to 408.6 kg.
That is enough uranium, if enriched to the 90 percent purity level, for nine nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA estimate.
The second report claims that Iran carried out secret nuclear activities with material not declared to the UN nucelar watchdog at three locations decades ago.
The findings in the "comprehensive" IAEA report "pave the way for a push by the United States, Britain, France and Germany for the board to declare Iran in violation of its non-proliferation obligations," Reuters wrote.
Using the report's findings, the four Western powers plan to pressure the IAEA to declare that Iran is in non-compliance with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) at its next meeting in June, diplomats told the news agency.
Iran has not been formally found in non-compliance with the NPT in nearly twenty years.
An IAEA board resolution passed in February 2006 referred Iran's non-compliance to the UN Security Council, which later imposed sanctions on Iran.
The report is likely to lead to Iran being referred to the UN Security Council as well, the diplomats said.
Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, including producing medicines and electricity.
Israel and the US claim the Islamic Republic seeks to produce a nuclear weapon.
Iranian officials have stated that acquiring nuclear weapons is un-Islamic because, if used, they would indiscriminately kill civilians.
Israel itself has an undeclared nuclear weapons program and has long urged the US to go to war against Iran to stop its nuclear activities.
The two IAEA reports will also complicate ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran. The two countries recently completed a fifth round of talks. A sixth round has not been scheduled.
Iran is seeking relief from US economic sanctions through the talks.
Iranian sources speaking with Al-Mayadeen revealed that Iran warned European officials that "any escalatory step taken through the IAEA would negatively impact the ongoing talks."
US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran if it does not reach a deal to give up its ability to enrich uranium domestically.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described nuclear technologies, including uranium enrichment, as an inalienable right of Iranians.
Outsiders have no right to deprive the Iranian nation of its right, he underscored, adding, "Nuclear energy is the Iranian people's inalienable right."
Araghchi noted that Iran agrees to negotiations about ensuring that it does not obtain nuclear weapons because Tehran itself is an opponent of nuclear weapons.
No comments:
Post a Comment