The UN nuclear watchdog chief will meet with the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Wednesday in Washington to discuss his agency's monitoring role in Iran following Tehran's deal with world powers on its atomic activity.
Some members of the US Congress, which is considering whether to approve the deal, have asked that more information be made public relating to the International Atomic Energy Agency's part in verifying Iran's implementation of the pact.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement on Friday that Director General Yukiya Amano "will discuss the IAEA's role in verifying and monitoring nuclear-related measures under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," which was agreed by Iran, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union in Vienna on July 14, Reuters reported.
Amano has the task of assessing Iran's past and future nuclear program. He has no political mandate, but should manage and maintain a fine balance between delivering data on Iran's nuclear activities and the major political consequences such information can have.
The IAEA said it is normal practice for it not to publish safeguards arrangements with countries and that Iran is no exception, adding that the arrangement it reached with Iran last month meets its requirements to clarify outstanding issues.
The US Congress has until Sept. 17 to accept or reject the agreement. American Republicans have objected to the deal as not tough enough to curb Iran's nuclear program in the long run.
At a Senate hearing this week, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned that rejecting the deal would remove all limits on Iran's nuclear work, give it a fast track to step up its activities and access to billions of dollars from collapsed sanctions.
Under the pact, world powers agreed to lift sanctions in return for temporary restrictions on a nuclear program the West claims may be aimed at developing the means to build nuclear weapons. Tehran says it seeks only peaceful applications of nuclear energy.
