IAEA Censures Iran on Nuclear Program

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Sep 13, 2012, 06:28 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolution censuring Iran "is yet another strong rebuke of Tehran for defiantly ignoring the UN nuclear watchdog," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "Overwhelming support for the IAEA measure demonstrates international unity on confronting Iran's nuclear program."

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The IAEA Board of Governors passed the resolution today by a vote of 31 in favor, with one country, Cuba, opposing, and three – Ecuador, Egypt and Tunisia – abstaining. South Africa had expressed reservations earlier about the draft resolution, but joined in approving the final.

The resolution expressed "serious concern" over Iran's enrichment of uranium and continuing refusal to allow IAEA inspectors to visit certain sites suspected of nuclear weapons activity. It is the 12^th non-binding resolution on Iran's nuclear program adopted by the IAEA.

The resolution was introduced by six world powers – the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany – that comprise the so-called P5+1 group that has tried to negotiate with Iran.

"This board must not allow Iran to continue its pattern of deception, deceit, and flagrant flouting of its international nuclear obligations while continuing its delaying tactics," said Ambassador Robert Wood, Acting U.S. Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna. "Iran has been taking measures that appear consistent with an effort to remove evidence of its past activities at Parchin."

The latest IAEA quarterly report, issued last month, confirmed that Iran has "sanitized" the Parchin military base, making it impossible for IAEA inspectors, if they were allowed to visit, to do their work. In addition, the IAEA reported that Iran had more than doubled the number of enrichment centrifuges at the underground Fordow nuclear facility.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee