Iran urges IAEA not to yield to 'Israel's' pressure

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
12 Sep 2022 13:20

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson says the E3 statement against the Iranian nuclear program was an incorrect and ill-considered move.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani reiterated Monday that Iran is ready to continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), calling on the agency "not to yield to Israel's pressure" over Tehran's nuclear activities.

The IAEA's board of governors will meet on Monday, three months after adopting a resolution censuring Iran for failing to adequately explain the previous discovery of traces of enriched uranium at three sites allegedly "not declared by Tehran" as having hosted nuclear activities.

In a televised news conference, Kanaani said that "Iran announces its constructive cooperation with the agency as its obligation ... While Iran has obligations, it also has rights," adding that the IAEA "should preserve its credibility."

"Naturally Iran expects constructive actions from IAEA and the members of its governing board," Kanaani pointed out.

According to the Iranian spokesperson, "Both the U.S. and Europe should prove that they do not prioritize the interests of the Zionist regime when taking political decisions."

The European Troika, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany (E3), voiced on Saturday their dissatisfaction with Iran's demands in the Vienna talks aimed at reviving the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

E3 statement incorrect and ill-considered: Kanaani

Kanaani described the E3 statement against the peaceful Iranian nuclear program as an incorrect and ill-considered move, adding that "the statement was the result of incorrect calculations made by the European side."

The Iranian spokesperson underlined that in the process of nuclear negotiations, Iran put every effort to reach an agreement and expected the western parties to act constructively in this regard.

According to Kanaani, instead of responding positively to Iran's constructive actions on the way to reaching an agreement, the E3 adopted a non-constructive approach, advising the three EU states to take a constructive path in the nuclear talks and make up for past mistakes.

"Iran is ready to cooperate with the IAEA in removing fake and unreal images regarding its peaceful nuclear activities," he stressed, noting that Tehran has always emphasized that the IAEA should fulfill its duties professionally and without being pressured by third parties.

Regarding Washington's claims about comments sent by Iran on the EU's final text to restore the 2015 nuclear agreement, Kanaani considered that a country that unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed illegal, unilateral, and irrational sanctions against Iranians is not in a position to make such claims.

He also noted that Tehran has always emphasized that Washington needs to take constructive action to reach an agreement, adding that the US government must prove that it is reliable to return to the nuclear agreement.

The European Union presented, on August 8, what it called a final text to restore the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Iranian FM Hossein Amir-Abdollahian underlined that Iran has demonstrated its goodwill and seriousness in order to reach a strong and sustainable deal.

It is noteworthy that US State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel claimed that a new response from Iran on reviving a landmark nuclear deal was "not constructive".

"We can confirm that we have received Iran's response through the EU," he said. "We are studying it and will respond through the EU, but unfortunately it is not constructive," he added.

In late August, Amir-Abdollahian demanded that the IAEA drop the issue of what the Western parties claim to be "undeclared sites", as momentum to revive a 2015 nuclear deal builds.