Iran threatens 'decisive' response against nuclear censure at IAEA
Iran warned of an "immediate and decisive" retaliatory response if a widely anticipated Western-backed censure resolution is passed on Thursday and lobbied several member states of the UN's nuclear watchdog's governing body to reject it.
The foreign ministry's legal deputy was quoted by local media as saying, "We have clearly stated in advance that if the resolution is passed, we will respond decisively and immediately. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is prepared to implement the decision in the very hour the resolution is approved."
The United States, Germany, France and Britain are adamant to pursue a censure resolution at the quarterly meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency for Tehran's lack of cooperation with the UN watchdog and other violations.
Foreign ministry's Kazem Gharibabadi blamed the sponsors of the resolution for disregarding Iran's recent gesture of promising to stop high-level uranium enrichment. "This move by Iran is, in fact, a response to the unconstructive approach of these few countries and their disregard for Iran's goodwill."
The Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday called the foreign ministers of Brazil, South Africa, Bangladesh, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Pakistan - all on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - to warn against the adoption of the resolution put forward by Western powers.
"The push by France, Britain and Germany for a resolution against Iran would only weaken and disrupt the interactional processes between Iran and the Agency," Araghchi said, according to media reports in Iran.
He called on the member states voting on the resolution to block it.
Previous voting patterns suggest that proposals backed by the main Western countries easily pass. A successful resolution could pave the way for the three European powers to trigger a "snapback mechanism" to restore UN sanctions imposed on Iran before the 2015 nuclear deal.
The planned censure is due to be approved despite Tehran offering to cap its highly-enriched uranium stock.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi says that Iran has agreed to freeze its uranium stockpile enriched to 60% following his request during recent talks in Tehran.
"I made a request for Iran to stop increasing the stockpile of 60%, and this was accepted," Grossi said in his report to the agency's Board of Governors in Vienna on Wednesday. The freeze would not resolve broader issues about Iran’s nuclear activities, he added.
Iran began enriching uranium up to 60% after a 2015 international deal unraveled when Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the agreement.
“The US concerns have been all along about Iran engaging in enriching uranium to 60%. We're very concerned about it,” US alternative ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood told Iran International on Wednesday. “I know the IAEA Board is going to be looking at this issue. We're reviewing the report of IAEA Director-General."
The IAEA’s latest confidential report confirms that Iran has made preparations to cap its stockpile at around 185 kg, according to Reuters. Iran also agreed to consider accepting the appointment of four additional experienced IAEA inspectors after having banned around one third last year.