Iran said it disconnected some International Atomic Energy Agency cameras monitoring its nuclear sites Wednesday, hours before the UN nuclear watchdog adopted a resolution criticising the Islamic republic for failing to cooperate.
The move by Iran’s atomic agency came in anticipation of ratification of the censure, drafted after the Vienna-based IAEA raised concerns about traces of enriched uranium previously found at three sites Tehran had not declared as having hosted nuclear activities.
The UN nuclear watchdog formally adopted the censure, diplomatic sources told AFP, after it was submitted by Britain, France, Germany and the United States.
The censure – the first to criticise Iran since June 2020 – was approved by 30 members of the IAEA board of governors, with only Russia and China voting against it, according to two diplomats.
The move was welcomed by Israel, which said it was a “first and necessary step towards the goal of restoring Iran’s compliance with its safeguards obligations”.
After the adoption of the resolution, the US, Britain, France and Germany urged Iran “to fulfil its legal obligations, and cooperate with the IAEA”.
The foreign ministries of the four Western nations issued a joint statement welcoming the IAEA’s resolution “responding to Iran’s insufficient cooperation with the IAEA on serious and outstanding safeguards issues”, surrounding its nuclear activities.
“The overwhelming majority vote at the IAEA Board of Governors today sends an unambiguous message to Iran that it must meet its safeguards obligations and provide technically credible clarifications on outstanding safeguards issues,” the statement added.
“We urge Iran to heed the call of the international community to fulfil its legal obligations, and cooperate with the IAEA to fully clarify and resolve issues without further delay.”
