The statement, signed by 62 member countries of the IAEA on Wednesday, called upon Iran to take steps to address outstanding safeguards issues and provide necessary information about the level of enriched uranium at the Isfahan nuclear power plant, IRNA reported.
The statement also urged Iran to promptly provide the IAEA with information concerning its new nuclear facilities, as a necessary step not only to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program but also the efficacy of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Simultaneously, nine countries, including Venezuela, China, Belarus, Cuba, Nicaragua, Iran, Zimbabwe, Russia, and Syria, issued a joint statement expressing their support for Tehran's level of cooperation with the IAEA.
The statement, read by Syria’s representative, emphasized that Iran’s interactions with the agency should be carried out in a non-political manner, free from external interference, and aimed at resolving the outstanding issues.
Safeguards concerns about Iran’s nuclear program were raised anew four years ago when the IAEA opened a new case against the country based on fabricated documents provided by the Israeli regime, alleging uranium traces at four undeclared locations in Iran, according to IRNA.
Separately on Wednesday, the three European signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran issued a joint statement on the sidelines of the meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors.
Representatives from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (E3) accused Iran of non-compliance with the nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), without mentioning which side was responsible for the current state of the landmark accord.
The E3 echoed their previous accusations against Iran regarding the lack of progress in the Vienna process to revive the JCPOA, which was unilaterally abandoned by the United States in 2018, putting the deal’s fate in limbo.
“Regrettably, Iran’s actions remain in clear violation of its JCPOA commitments and stated intentions,” the statement said.
“Iran has continued escalating its nuclear program to an alarming level clearly beyond credible civilian justification, and has displayed no will to implement the transparency commitments laid out in the Joint Statement agreed with the IAEA last March,” it added.
It was referring to a joint statement issued by Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog following a visit by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi to Tehran in March, pledging cooperation until differences were resolved.
Iran has scaled back its commitments under the JCPOA in several phases as enshrined in Articles 26 and 36 of the UN-endorsed accord, starting a year after the US withdrew from the deal and re-imposed its sanctions against Tehran.
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