Iran Rejects IAEA Resolution, Says Will React Appropriately

The Islamic Republic of Iran totally rejects the resolution of the International Atomic Energy Agency on access to two sites and will take appropriate measures in reaction, Iran’s envoy to the IAEA said. 
“This resolution will neither encourage Iran to grant the agency access based on unfounded and false claims, nor will pressurize it [into doing so],” Kazem Gharibabadi said in a speech on the final day of the regular meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors (BoG) on Friday, IRNA reported. 
He made the statement after the 35-nation board passed a resolution, calling on Iran to stop denying the agency access to two sites and to cooperate fully with it. 
The resolution was submitted by France, Britain and Germany and was adopted in a vote after China expressed opposition to it. 
It raises pressure on Iran to let inspectors into the sites mentioned in two IAEA reports.
According to the text of the document seen by Reuters, the board “calls on Iran to fully cooperate with the agency and satisfy the agency’s requests without any further delay, including by providing prompt access to the locations specified by the agency”.
China and Russia opposed the measure and the resolution was passed by a 25-2 margin with seven abstentions. 
In his speech, Gharibabadi highlighted Iran’s highest level of cooperation with the agency’s inspectors compared with other member states, describing the recent move as a “completely unconstructive and political measure”.
He noted that while Iran grants over 33 complementary accesses annually, overemphasizing its denial of access to two sites due to fundamental ambiguities and concerns is part of attempts to create an unnecessary crisis to disrupt the successful cooperation with the agency.  
“Approval of this resolution by the Board of Governors … and disregarding the existing cooperation is deeply disappointing and regrettable,” he said, adding that Iran will not accept excessive demands by any country or organization. 
The resolution is not cognizant of technical realities and has merely resulted from “a political and unprofessional agenda”, he said. 
The responsibility of cooperation, according to Gharibabadi, cannot be borne by Iran alone and if it is to be disrupted, all countries should bear its negative consequences.
Iran reduced its compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal after the United States pulled out and restored sanctions two years ago and the remaining parties failed to protect its rights. 
It maintained its full cooperation with IAEA and remained open about the new steps away from the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. 
However, it denied the agency access to the two locations, arguing that the request was based on inadmissible Israeli claims.

Matter of Sovereignty 

“[…] as a matter of sovereignty, no country opens its territory to inspections only based on continuous allegations provided by its own enemy, even if it is evident that the result of which will prove those allegations to be false,” Gharibabadi had said earlier.
He regretted that the resolution was submitted by countries (France, Britain and Germany) that have failed to fulfil their duties under JCPOA. 
The Iranian foreign minister had earlier warned in a tweet that adopting such a resolution would ruin chances for a “possible agreeable solution”.
“BoG should not allow JCPOA enemies to jeopardize Iran’s supreme interests. E3 should not be an accessory, after failing own JCPOA duties,” Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted. 
“We’ve nothing to hide. More inspections in Iran over last 5 yrs than in IAEA history. An agreeable solution is possible, but Res will ruin it,” he added. 
The IAEA has requested access to the two locations under the Additional Protocol of the IAEA Safeguards Agreement that grants the agency authority to conduct more rigorous, short-notice inspections at undeclared nuclear facilities in countries that are party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Gharibabadi stressed that Iran is only voluntarily and temporarily observing the Additional Protocol as part of its JCPOA commitments and does not consider it a legal obligation since it has not been ratified. 
He advised the agency to respect its limits of authority, appreciate Iran’s cooperation, carry out its mission in a professional, independent and impartial manner, and avoid contributing to those who pursue political purposes. 
“Act in such a way so that you will not be accused of destroying the last stronghold of multilateralism in Vienna and causing the collapse of JCPOA,” he said.