Exclusive: Iran warns US, EU over potential IAEA nuclear resolution
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Sources told Al Mayadeen that Iran warned that it would respond with decisive action if a new IAEA resolution were issued.
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The flag of the International Atomic Energy Agency flies in front of its headquarters during an IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. (AP)
Sources informed Al Mayadeen on Thursday that Iran has issued strong warnings to both the United States and the European Troika (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) over any attempt to pass a resolution against its nuclear program at the upcoming International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting.
Tehran, speaking through intermediaries, noted that any such move would not be viewed as a European initiative alone; Washington, too, would be held directly responsible for the consequences.
These warnings come amid reports that the US and its European allies are preparing a draft resolution declaring Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations. The resolution, expected to be submitted during the June 9 IAEA board meeting, would mark the first formal censure of Iran in nearly two decades. Western diplomats have indicated that the measure is in response to concerns over Iran's uranium enrichment activities and its level of cooperation with the IAEA.
In response, Iranian officials have reportedly communicated that such escalation would inevitably derail the ongoing indirect negotiations with the US. Iran maintains that it has cooperated with the agency and sees the push for a new resolution as politically motivated. Officials warned that any decision against Tehran, particularly when accompanied by pressure campaigns, would block progress toward a renewed nuclear agreement.
Snapback warning
Political sources told Al Mayadeen that Tehran has also warned the European Troika that pursuing this path could be interpreted as an attempt to trigger the UN's sanctions snapback mechanism, a move Iran considers a red line. If invoked, this would not only reinstate previously lifted UN sanctions but would also prompt a fundamental shift in Iran's nuclear posture.
While reiterating its recognition of the IAEA as the sole legitimate supervisory body over its nuclear activities, Iran expressed discontent with what it views as the agency's deviation from professional neutrality. Iranian officials hinted that continued pressure could lead to a reassessment of the level of access and cooperation currently granted to the IAEA.
Read more: Iran will not abandon uranium enrichment: Sayyed Khamenei
Diplomatic crossroads
Despite the escalating rhetoric, Iranian sources said the door remains open for diplomacy. However, they warned that exploiting the agency's reports to justify action at the UN Security Council would "completely change the equations" surrounding Iran's nuclear file.
Iran's response, the sources stressed, would remain within the framework of its legal obligations but would be calibrated to protect its national interests and nuclear rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
