IAEA Resolution Not Legally Binding

The resolution adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors carries no legal obligation and hence Iran does not intend to implement it now, according to a senior national security official.
"We deem the resolution illegitimate and baseless … Therefore, no measure is to be taken in line with its implementation," Abolfazl Amouei, spokesman of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, told ISNA.
Iran has denied the agency access to two sites that it suspected of possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities in 2000s, saying the request was based on inadmissible Israeli claims. It also says the file on its old activities has been closed.
Last week, France, Britain and Germany submitted a resolution to IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors, which called on Iran to allow access to the two sites and cooperate fully with the UN agency.
The resolution was adopted in a vote with seven abstentions, and China and Russia opposed to it.
"This resolution is merely a political move that aims to create a [hostile] climate against the Islamic Republic," Amouei said.
He held the United States and Israel responsible, saying they had been making efforts to poison Iran's relations with the IAEA for long.
Iran argues that the data were provided by secret intelligence services that the agency is not entitled to use as grounds for making inspection requests, he explained.
The US has already pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, unilaterally and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran.
The European parties expressed commitment and pledged to preserve the deal, but failed to protect Iran's JCPOA benefits.
The submission of the resolution is their second measure to put pressure on Iran, after triggering the deal's Dispute Resolution Mechanism in mid-February, which could lead to the return of UN sanctions on Iran.
Amouei said Europeans have now adopted the US and Israel policy related to Iran.
"This behavior calls into question the Europeans' claims of commitment to JCPOA," he said, adding that Iran is critical of Europe's attitude as it is playing into the hands of the US.

Cooperation Will Continue  

President Hassan Rouhani said in a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that Iran is willing to maintain its cooperation with IAEA, but cautioned the agency against deviating from its legal route.
"We have always cooperated with the agency … They have confirmed in 16 or 17 reports on JCPOA that Iran has fully cooperated," he emphasized, President.ir reported.
However, the president regretted that pressure by the US and Israeli regimes has now forced IAEA, "whose judgment should be precise, fair and correct", to dig out past cases.
"The agency's duty is to inform the world that nuclear materials are under control and that activities are peaceful. The agency has no other job," he said.
"Now the Zionists and the US are pressuring the agency into monitoring a case that is 18 to 20 years old."
Rouhani noted that Iran can respond strongly to the recent move, but prefers to pursue its principled policy of cooperation with IAEA.
"Iran is still ready to allow the agency's legal inspections. Iran is ready to cooperate closely with IAEA, but within the framework of laws and regulations," he said.