Russia will not support IAEA Western resolution against Iran
Moscow stressed that "under no circumstances will it associate itself with such a resolution."
Russia refuses to associate itself with the Western resolution on Iran in the upcoming IAEA Board of Governors session.
Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov, said on his Telegram channel that "Russia in no circumstances will associate itself with such resolution." The envoy further added that "It is becoming increasingly more obvious that the intent of Western participants in Vienna talks to approve the resolution on Iran at the current session of the IAEA Board of Governors (BoG) is rather counter-productive for JCPOA."
Previously on the upcoming IAEA Board of Governors session
This is not the first time Russia voiced such a definitive stance. Earlier, Ulyanov stated on his official Twitter account that “If next week the IAEA BoG adopts the Western resolution on Iran, the prospects of successful completion of the Vienna Talks and restoration of JCPOA will become more elusive."
He argued that if the efforts were serious about finalizing an agreement, the IAEA Board of Governors must turn toward extra diplomatic measures rather than issuing a resolution on Iran.
Spoke again to @Amirabdolahian.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) June 4, 2022
The possibility to strike a deal and return to #JCPOA is shrinking. But we still can do it with an extra effort.
As coordinator, I stand ready any time to facilitate a solution to the latest outstanding issues.
The spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh, had previously commented that "Israel" and some media outlets are attempting to deviate the focus of the talks to ensure their failure. They sought to focus the spotlight on the removal of the IRGC from the terror list and ignore all other aspects of the deal that can benefit all parties. Iran's reply, said Khatibzadeh, is clear: "What is important to us is that the interests of the Iranian people are fulfilled and that we receive guarantees regarding individuals and Iran's economic cycle."
On June 3rd, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian vowed an immediate response to any political step at the meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency next week, in light of Western countries preparing a draft resolution calling on Tehran to cooperate with the UN agency.
See more: The JCPOA in Brief (The Original 2015 deal)
This comes as Amir-Abdollahain discussed in a phone call with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, the results of the Vienna talks to restore the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
During the conversation, Lavrov affirmed that Moscow opposes the European-US draft resolution targeting Iran.
In response to the report presented by the IAEA chief
The BoG of the IAEA holds a meeting every three months, and the governors discuss safeguards related to Iran and the report on the implementation of the JCPOA, with these issues being at the top of their agenda, Khatibzadeh explained.
Khatibzadeh referred to a report presented by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi as "hasty", saying it ignored all the actions and responses that Iran carefully and technically presented to the IAEA.
Israeli regime, as the world's #1 JCPOA hater happens to be NPT-denier & the only nuke-possessor of the MENA region. We know this. The world knows this.
— Saeed Khatibzadeh | سعید خطیبزاده (@SKhatibzadeh) June 1, 2022
Time for E3/US to stop pretending to be asleep.
They can pursue diplomacy—or pursue the opposite. We're ready for both.
"Traces of the fake Zionist regime ("Israel") can be seen in such a report," he added. "Tehran neither accepts this report nor the attempts of three European countries and their American allies to issue a resolution against Iran."
He also touched on sanctions against the Islamic Republic, stressing that issuing anti-Iranian resolutions is not constructive. "We believe that it will have a negative impact on Iran's overall cooperation with the agency and the nuclear talks."
All members of the Board of Governors, he underlined, must be vigilant about the intentions of the Israeli occupation.