Iran Warns Nuclear Watchdog Not to Make Decisions Based on Disinformation Provided by Mossad

June 15, 2020 in News by RBN Staff

 

Source: Sputnik

 

Last week, a confidential International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report found that Iran is continuing to build up its uranium stockpile, and enriching beyond limits outlined in the 2015 nuclear deal. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the world to “reimpose paralyzing sanctions” against Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi has warned the IAEA’s board of governors against making “irrelevant and unconstructive” decisions in relation to Iran on the basis of alleged “documents” provided by the Israeli intelligence service.

“We urge the agency to be a little realistic about it, to pose its question (from Iran) on a legal basis, and not to get entangled in marginal issues,” the spokesman said, speaking at a press conference on Monday, according to Tasnim.

Alleging that the board is basing its meeting to discuss Iran’s nuclear activities based on a report provided by Israel, Mousavi warned that Iran does “not deem such an approach of the agency constructive. Our cooperation with the agency continued even when the IAEA reduced commitments. If such a process goes on, the interaction with the organization will become difficult.”

“Naturally, if they make an unconstructive decision, Iran will show a proportionate reaction, and they probably know what the decision would be,” Mousavi added, presumably referring to a reduction in cooperation with the nuclear watchdog.

On Monday, IAEA officials met in Vienna to discuss last week’s confidential report on Iran’s alleged violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal. Agency chief Rafael Mariano Grossi reiterated that the Islamic Republic has denied the IAEA access to two nuclear sites over a four month period, demanding prompt access these facilities.

“I note with serious concern that, for over four months, Iran has denied us access to two locations and that, for almost a year, it has not engaged in substantive discussions to clarify our questions related to possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities. This is adversely affecting the agency’s ability to resolve the questions and to provide credible assurance of the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities at these locations in Iran,” Grossi said.

“I call on Iran to cooperate immediately and fully with the agency, including by providing prompt access to the locations specified by us,” he added.

Report

Earlier this month, in a confidential document distributed to member countries that leaked to the media, the IAEA expressed “serious concern” over Iran’s alleged refusal to allow inspectors into two nuclear sites. The report also claimed that the country was continuing to build up its enriched uranium stockpile, and increasing enrichment from the 3.67 percent limit set out by the JCPOA to 4.5 percent.

Tel Aviv, which previously boasted that the Mossad had uncovered new information on an alleged Iranian nuclear weapons program, called on the world to get tough on Tehran over its alleged “violations” of the nuclear deal. Prime Minister Netanyahu suggested that “paralyzing sanctions” were the solution, and claimed that “Iran has systematically violated its commitments by hiding sites and enriching fissionable material, and has committed other violations.” Israel, he stressed, would “not allow” Tehran to build a bomb.

Iran began scaling back its commitment to the nuclear deal in May 2019, one year after President Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the JCPOA, and imposed tough energy and banking sanctions on the country. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful in nature, and that it has no plans to build a nuclear bomb.

Based on the IAEA’s findings, Iran’s enrichment activities are still far below the 80-90 percent enrichment levels required to build a nuclear weapon. Furthermore, the 1,571.6 kg stockpile of nuclear fuel reported in the confidential document is still much smaller than the 7,000 kg of uranium the country had amassed by 2013, before signing the JCPOA. At that time, the country had achieved enrichment levels of about 20 percent.