The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said on Monday that a draft resolution put forward by Western powers censuring Iran for its nuclear non-compliance is separate from the indirect talks between Tehran and Washington.
“There is no formal link between one thing and the other,” said Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), at a press conference after the agency’s Board of Governors opening meeting in Vienna.
“But it is obvious, I think for all of us, that there is an interrelation and perhaps a mutual influence. Not perhaps—for sure. It is a mutual influence.”
Grossi emphasized that the draft resolution—tabled by the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—should be viewed as part of the agency’s technical oversight role, not as a political manoeuvre aimed at pressuring Iran as Tehran alleges.
Earlier in the day, Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), accused the IAEA of acting under American influence and said the agency had lost its credibility.“We have no hidden program and no deviation from our obligations.”
AEOI spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi also warned of specific countermeasures. “Last time we warned them and they didn’t listen, so we increased 60 percent enrichment sevenfold. Now again, we’ve told them what actions we may take,” he said in a broadcast. “The agency shouldn’t expect continued constructive cooperation.”
Iran views the potential censure resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors as a politically motivated step that could be exploited by the E3 to push for a Security Council move triggering the snapback mechanism, which would reimpose UN sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear accord.
JCPOA no longer sufficient as Iran advances program, IAEA chief says
Grossi said that even if revived, the 2015 deal—formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—would no longer be enough to address the scale and complexity of Iran’s nuclear activities.
“The JCPOA was designed to be applied to a very specific type of Iran program, which is completely different now,” he said. “Even if you wanted to revive it, it would not be enough because now they have new technologies.”
He added that the agency’s technical work must continue regardless of the political track. “We cannot wait for negotiations. We are an independent technical body. But if diplomacy succeeds, it will help reinforce cooperation.”
Highly enriched uranium ‘cannot be ignored’
Grossi stressed that while uranium enrichment is not prohibited under international law, the levels Iran is reaching are a serious concern.
“Uranium enrichment per se is not a forbidden activity, which is something my Iranian counterparts always tell me,” he said.
“At the same time, when you accumulate and continue to accumulate, and you are the only country in the world doing this at a level very, very close to what is needed for a nuclear explosive device, then we cannot ignore it.”
“There is no medical or civilian use for it,” he said. “That is why it is important for us.”
Iran obtaining IAEA documents undermines cooperation, Grossi says
Iran’s possession and analysis of confidential documents from the agency is a “bad” development that undermines the cooperative relationship expected between Tehran and the IAEA, Grossi said without elaborating on the documents.
A confidential IAEA report dated May 31 said that the agency had obtained “conclusive evidence of highly confidential documents belonging to the Agency having been actively collected and analyzed by Iran.”
“This dates to a few years ago, but we could determine with all clarity that documents that belong to the agency were in the hands of Iranian authorities, which is bad,” Grossi told reporters. “We believe that an action like this is not compatible with the spirit of cooperation.”
IAEA working to calm threat of Israeli military action
In response to a question about the possibility of Israeli military action on Iran’s nuclear program, Grossi said the agency is actively seeking to de-escalate the situation.
“We are trying to solve this without the use of violence or force,” he said. “If it’s done correctly, thoroughly, with a very strong verification and monitoring chapter from us, it would give the necessary assurance for Israel and for the world that there is nothing to be feared coming from there.”
Grossi said Israeli concerns were not new, but said the IAEA's focus remains technical. “We are trying to get to a solution in a diplomatic way, trying to clarify and solve this.”
No communication on Iran’s claim of seized Israeli documents
Responding to a question about reports that Iran has obtained sensitive data on Israeli nuclear activities, Grossi said the agency had received no official communication regarding the claims.
Grossi added that "This seems to refer to Soreq [nuclear center] which is research facility which we inspect by the way,” —suggesting that the documents Iran says to have accessed may relate to this site.
Contrary to popular belief, Grossi emphasized that the IAEA does inspect certain parts of Israel’s nuclear program.
“Normally people tell me, ‘you don’t inspect Israel.’ Yes, we do... We don’t inspect other strategic parts of the program, but we do inspect Soreq,” he said.
Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported on Saturday that Iranian intelligence services had obtained a significant volume of classified material from Israel, including documents concerning the country’s nuclear and strategic infrastructure.
Israeli security analysts have dismissed the claims as exaggerated or psychological warfare, while Iran’s intelligence minister said that the documents would soon be made public.
