US, European countries call on Iran to work with UN watchdog

VIENNA: Iran must “cooperate fully” with the UN´s nuclear watchdog, according to a draft resolution submitted to the agency´s board by Britain, France, Germany and the United States, and seen by AFP on Wednesday.

Tensions between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog have repeatedly flared in recent years, with relations being further strained in the wake of a 12-day war in June that saw Israeli and US strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.

Since the war, agency inspectors have not been granted access to key nuclear sites such as Fordo and Natanz, which were hit in the strikes in June, but they have been able to visit other sites.

The draft, which is expected to be voted on by the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) during its meeting this week, stresses that it is “imperative” for Iran to comply with its obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

It also urges Iran to provide “access that the agency requests”.

Last week the IAEA called on Iran to allow it to verify its enriched uranium inventories, especially its sensitive stockpile of highly enriched uranium that was “long overdue”, according to a confidential report seen by AFP.

“Iran has failed over the past five months to provide the IAEA with requested information regarding the status of its enriched uranium stockpiles and safeguarded nuclear facilities,” the resolution reads.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that the country had no undeclared uranium enrichment sites.

Araghchi added there was “no enrichment” taking place at present because the sites were damaged in the recent war with Israel.

The assertion came after US media outlets, including the Washington Post and the New York Times, reported that Iran had accelerated construction at a secret underground nuclear site called “Pickaxe Mountain”, or Kuh-e Kolang, near its Natanz facility.

In mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, triggering a 12-day war during which the US briefly joined with strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

In the aftermath of the war, Tehran suspended its cooperation with the IAEA and restricted the watchdog´s inspectors from accessing the bombed sites, accusing it of bias and failing to condemn the attacks.

During Sunday´s forum in Tehran, Iranian officials warned the UN body against adopting an anti-Iran resolution.

“In case of a resolution, Iran will consider a review of its relations with the IAEA and will conduct a fundamental review,” said Iran´s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi.