The states stressed the “urgent need” for Iran to “satisfactorily clarify and clarify” all outstanding issues in the investigation into the nuclear program.
More than 60 countries on Wednesday demanded explanations from Iran about the progress of its controversial nuclear program, including details about the origin of radioactive traces found in two facilities declared by the Islamic Republic as non-nuclear.
In a joint statement presented by the United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom during a meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear agency, in Vienna, the 63 States highlighted the “ urgently need” to o They will “clarify and satisfactorily clarify” all outstanding issues in the investigation.
Iran must provide “technically credible answers” to IAEA inspectors, as required by its safeguards agreement, “to respond to the agency’s legitimate questions,” the document reads.
Among the countries that signed the declaration are all member states of the European Union, the main Western powers, other regional powers, such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, and also some Latin American countries such as Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador.
The statement calls on Iran to act immediately to comply with its legal obligations regarding nuclear material detected in places not declared as atomic in its territory. Furthermore, the document requires that Tehran clarifies the discrepancy between the amount of nuclear material whose existence was verified by the organization in a large uranium enrichment facility and the amount declared by the country.
Unlike previous meetings of the Council of Governors, the executive body of the nuclear agency, the Western powers did not present a resolution this time, but only this unusual joint declaration, with the support of dozens of countries.
Before the council meeting, diplomatic sources explained that, given Iran’s inaction following the latest resolutions, the Western powers wanted to “send a different message” to that country and its allies, such as China and Russia.
Iran has been coming for months. increase its production of enriched uranium, with levels close to that needed to build atomic bombs.
This Wednesday’s statement comes at a delicate moment between Washington and Tehran – which have not maintained diplomatic relations since 1979 – as they are in the final stretch of signing an agreement that provides for the release of prisoners in their respective countries.
Source: Observadora
