Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi said on Monday that only full cooperation by Iran, and tangible results, will lead to the credible assurances that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.
In return, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami called on the UN agency to close the case of “outstanding issues” between the two sides as soon as possible.
Both men made their remarks at the 67th Annual Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna.
Grossi urged Iran to show more transparency in its nuclear activities and to build trust with the UN agency.
He said talks between the UN body and Tehran “have not made the progress I was hoping for,” in accordance with the agreement signed with the Iranians last spring.
Iran and the IAEA announced an agreement in March on solving the issue of uranium traces found at two undeclared sites, and reinstalling surveillance cameras introduced under a deal with major powers in 2015 but removed at Iran's behest last year.
The IAEA chief also spoke about Iran’s decision to stop implementing the Additional Protocol, attached to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in February 2011.
Iran applied the Additional Protocol under its 2015 nuclear deal with major powers but stopped after then President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the accord in 2018.
Grossi, who on Monday was appointed to a second four-year term as head of the IAEA, said that to achieve mutual cooperation and transparency between Iran and the UN agency, “each of us must do our own work.”
He stressed that members of his team cannot present a correct report on Iranian activities when they do not have correct information.
Meanwhile, Esalmi said his country is determined to expand the use of nuclear energy for electricity generation and other civilian uses.
He stressed that despite the sanctions imposed on Iran, the country will continue peaceful activities in the field of nuclear science and technology.
“Iran is committed to increasing its nuclear electricity generation to 20,000 megawatts per year by 2040,” Eslami added.
Moreover, he criticized the US sanctions, describing them as “baseless and unacceptable.”
“Now, five years after the withdrawal of the US from the nuclear deal, the US government has not yet stopped the imposition of illegal sanctions against Iran,” he said.
The official stressed that Iran is cooperating with the IAEA.
“Iran, with the highest number of safeguards inspections of its peaceful nuclear program, has an exemplary record of cooperation with the IAEA,” he claimed.
Eslami urged the IAEA to take effective and concrete measures to protect the confidentiality of the information it gathers.
