On Sept. 13, the U.N. nuclear watchdog passed a resolution urging Iran to cease uranium enrichment and comply with international obligations on its nuclear program. At a board of governors meeting in Vienna, 31 out of 35 countries, including Russia and China, supported the resolution. It rebukes Iran for not granting access to the Parchin military facility and concludes that the U.N. lacks enough information to know if the nuclear program is entirely peaceful. The resolution is non-binding. Nevertheless, it sparked a series of exchanges between officials from Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, immediately responded to the resolution. He told journalists in Vienna, “We are ready to cooperate with the IAEA without compromising our national security… provided that we are convinced that efforts are aimed at finalizing Iran’s nuclear case, not pursuing a futile process.” Soltanieh also vowed that Tehran will never forgo its “inalienable right to peaceful nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment.”
On Sept. 17, Dr. Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, spoke at the IAEA’s annual conference in Vienna. He accused the U.N. watchdog of mismanagement due to influence by “certain states.”
Abbasi-Davani also revealed details about two previously unknown explosions that targeted power cables at the Natanz and Fordo nuclear facilities. He said that Fordo was attacked on Aug. 17 but only mentioned that Natanz had been previously been attacked. The explosions have not been verified. The August 30 report by the IAEA did not mention any evidence of damage. But Abbasi-Davani said that Fordo was not damaged thanks to a back-up power supply and diesel generators.
The IAEA visited Fordo on Aug. 18, one day after the alleged explosion. Abbasi-Davani said in his speech that the visit was not scheduled in advance and only requested the same day. “Does this visit have a connection to that detonation? Who, other than the IAEA inspector, can have access to the complex in such a short time and to record and report failures?” he asked. Abbasi-Davani warned the 155-nation gathering that “terrorists and saboteurs might have intruded the agency and might be making decisions covertly.”
IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano met with Abbas-Davani later on Sept. 17 in Vienna. Amano reiterated the U.N.’s “readiness” to negotiate and that it “is essential for Iran to extend its full cooperation to the Agency.” The U.N. press statement on the meeting does not mention if the two discussed Abbas-Davani’s comment regarding Fordo. But Amano expressed a need to clarify “possible military dimensions” of Iran’s nuclear program. The next IAEA-Iran meeting could be held as soon as October but no venue has been selected.