International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Wednesday that the agency will push for inspections on Iran's nuclear facilities.
At the meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog's 35-nation Board of Governors, Grossi said that IAEA inspectors have returned to Iran but have not yet been granted access to key nuclear facilities that were attacked in June.
He said that the agency has not received Iran's required report on the affected facilities and related nuclear material. In accordance with safeguards agreements, Iran has the obligation to provide the report.
The United States, together with France, Britain and Germany, known as the E3 countries, on Tuesday submitted a draft resolution to the meeting, urging Iran to "provide the Agency without delay with precise information on nuclear material accountancy and safeguarded nuclear facilities in Iran, and grant the Agency all access it requires to verify this information," according to Reuters.
Before the meeting, Iran had warned that the submission of the draft resolution by the U.S. and the E3 would be a "major mistake," calling it an attempt to politicize the Board of Governors.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Grossi said the draft solution would be reviewed by the board, and if adopted, it will be implemented by the IAEA.
The IAEA chief said that with or without the resolution, he would not alter his commitment to push for inspections.
"I must be in my place and implement what the Board of Governors wants us to do. If there is no resolution, as I was saying, I wouldn't change my approach. Of course, a resolution may ask me and instruct me, actually, instruct me to certain things. But even in the absence of a resolution, I would continue doing my work, pushing for the inspections that we need to do," he said.
Over the past months, the United States, joined by some European states, has called on Iran to cease uranium enrichment on its soil. Tehran has repeatedly rejected the demand, stressing its right to uranium enrichment is non-negotiable.
Iran has suspended cooperation with the IAEA since June under a parliamentary law, citing the agency's failure to condemn the Israeli and U.S. attacks on its nuclear sites and concerns about the safety of its facilities and scientists.
IAEA to continue pushing for inspections on Iran's nuclear facilities: Grossi
IAEA to continue pushing for inspections on Iran's nuclear facilities: Grossi
IAEA to continue pushing for inspections on Iran's nuclear facilities: Grossi
