Speaking at the annual conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency General Assembly, he stated that Iran had lost confidence in the European Union and that the recent IAEA Board resolution was both technically and legally invalid since it was politically motivated.
The IAEA Board of Governors adopted a politicized resolution on Iran’s nuclear dossier on Saturday which paves the way for referring Iran to the UN Security Council. Of the 35 members, 22 voted in favor of the resolution, 12 abstained, including Russia and China, and Venezuela voted against the resolution. The draft resolution was drawn up by Britain, France, and Germany and backed by Washington.
Referring Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear program would "breed tension" and increase volatility in the Middle East, Aqazadeh noted.
"There is no doubt that a report to the Security Council initiates a chain of events, of actions and reactions, that breed tension and add volatility to an already vulnerable political situation in the region," Aqazadeh told the meeting of the 138 nations of the UN nuclear watchdog.
He went on to say that the IAEA should act as a supporter or a facilitator for those countries that intend to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and should also take measures to ensure that they do not use the technology for military purposes.
“Unfortunately, after the elapse of some years, the role and capabilities of the IAEA were hindered because the possessors of nuclear technology limited their technology exports. On the other hand, the inspection role of the IAEA was daily increased, in such a way that the IAEA is nowadays regarded as the nuclear watchdog of the United Nations,” Aqazadeh added.
“The IAEA has become quite suspicious, while the members of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) -- for which the additional protocol is a reliable guarantee -– have committed themselves to only use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. An obvious example of this is the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he noted.
Aqazadeh stated that Iran has been deprived of access to nuclear technology for years but now that it has voluntarily enforced the additional protocol to the NPT and taken measures to gain the confidence of the world, it is being said that the additional protocol can not reliably guarantee a favorable result.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Aqazadeh said that failing to reach a consensus, the European troika’s proposed resolution was finally ratified through a vote, which shows the divisions among members of the IAEA Board of Governors.
Since politics has overshadowed the IAEA’s responsibilities, one can say that the resolution is both technically and legally null and void, he observed.
He added, “As stated in Article 19 of the Safeguards Agreement, the Board of Governors, which is supposed to coordinate relations between the IAEA and the Islamic Republic, can refer Iran’s nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council when it is unable to determine whether the nuclear activities are peaceful or not. So, since the IAEA has announced at least once that there is no documented evidence proving that Iran’s nuclear activities are not peaceful, there is no reason to refer Iran to the Security Council.”
He also stated, “On the other hand, the IAEA’s technical investigation, as cited by the agency’s director general, makes it clear that:
“(1) Following some investigations, the IAEA announced that some problems are fully resolved, and so nuclear activities at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) and the Arak heavy water nuclear plant and the laser enrichment and fuel production activities are being conducted under the Safeguards Agreement.
“(2) The issue of highly-enriched uranium was the only case that created concerns, but following some investigations, it was proven that this highly-enriched uranium was imported from abroad.
“(3) As for the few problems remaining, great progress has been made and their solution is not merely dependent on Iran but requires the cooperation of all European countries.”
Aqazadeh went on to say that what is actually alarming in this strange game is the political stimulus which guides these moves, adding that the Europeans took such a strong measure against Iran, although there was an excellent opportunity to resolve the issue through negotiations.
He noted, “The European proposal violated Iran’s inalienable nuclear rights as specified both in the NPT and the Paris Accord. Therefore, there was no reason for Iran to continue observing the agreement. Iran resumed activities under the supervision of the IAEA and the productions are sealed thereafter. So, under such circumstances, there is no need to call for the suspension of nuclear activities.
“On the other hand, the EU 3’s measure to involve the UN Security Council explicitly put an end to the Tehran Accord, so there is no need for Iran to observe the terms of the Tehran Accord.”
In a deal with the European Union on October 21, 2003, Iran voluntarily agreed to sign the additional protocol to the NPT and to suspend uranium enrichment activities in Natanz.
The additional protocol allows snap inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran has signed the protocol but has not ratified it.
"This resolution is based on an invalid legal precept, an unjustified technical ground, and a misguided political forecast," Aqazadeh said.
The IAEA Board resolution sets conditions that would allow the agency to refer Iran to the UN Security Council at an unspecified date.
MPs to present plan to suspend implementation of additional protocol
A group of Majlis deputies are to present a single-urgency plan to the Majlis Tuesday urging the government to suspend implementation of the additional protocol to the NPT, MP Hamid-Reza Hajibabayee of the Majlis Presiding Board told IRNA here on Monday.
"If the urgency of the plan is approved on Tuesday, the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee and some subcommittees will discuss the general outlines and details of the plan.
"After Iran has spent two years taking important steps to ensure transparency and build confidence in the international community about its peaceful nuclear activities, the IAEA Board of Governors ignored Iran's inalienable right to obtain access to nuclear energy by passing a resolution declaring it guilty of violating its Non-Proliferation Treaty commitments."
If the MPs’ plan is approved, the government would be urged to suspend implementation of the additional protocol until Iran's right to develop the complete nuclear fuel cycle is officially recognized, he added.
"Meanwhile, the terms of the plan call on the government to present a report to the Majlis on the implementation of the NPT. The status of Iran's trade and economic relations with states has played a crucial role in the recent IAEA resolution," Hajibabayee stated.
The Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has called on the government to present a report to the Majlis on the volume of Iran's trade exchanges with the three European states that drafted the resolution against Iran which was passed at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting on Saturday night.
"If such a report is presented to the Majlis, an appropriate decision will be made on the continuation of economic cooperation with the three European states based on the position of the EU 3 and other countries which voted in favor of the resolution," Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Ala’eddin Borujerdi told reporters on Monday.
SA/MS/HG
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MNA
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