Iran (IMNA) - Esmaeil Baghaei made these statements on Saturday, responding to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s recent assertions that Iran is significantly escalating its uranium enrichment, reportedly reaching up to 60% purity.
Baghaei criticized Grossi's comments, made during the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain, as reflective of an “aggressive and unconstructive” stance taken by the United States, Britain, France, and Germany at the IAEA Board of Governors. He noted that these nations pushed for a resolution aimed at Iran during the meeting.
The spokesman highlighted Grossi’s mid-November visit to Iran and the agreements forged between Tehran and the UN nuclear agency to enhance technical cooperation. He stated, “During his recent visit to Iran, Grossi proposed a series of initiatives; however, the US and the three European nations undermined his efforts by adopting a strategy of pressure and leveraging the IAEA’s Board of Governors.”
Baghaei reiterated Iran's commitment to transparency and compliance with international norms in its pursuit of a peaceful nuclear program. He affirmed that Iran’s nuclear activities are conducted in accordance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, under IAEA supervision. “The IAEA has been notified about the Islamic Republic’s recent nuclear activities, and they will remain under its constant supervision,” he added.
On November 21, the IAEA Board of Governors voted 19 to 3, with 12 abstentions, on a resolution proposed by Britain, France, and Germany that accused Tehran of inadequate cooperation with the agency and called for a comprehensive report on its nuclear activities by spring 2025.
Following this resolution, on November 27, Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), announced that Iran had begun injecting uranium gas into advanced centrifuges as part of its nuclear development plans. Eslami emphasized that Iran's nuclear program is transparent and remains under IAEA oversight. He stated, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always shown that it favors interaction but will never back down in the face of force or pressure.”
In 2015, Iran demonstrated the peaceful nature of its nuclear program by signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with six world powers. However, following the United States' unilateral withdrawal in 2018 and subsequent sanctions against Tehran, the future of this agreement remains uncertain. In response to non-compliance from other parties under the JCPOA, Iran began rolling back its commitments in 2019.
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