Foreign Ministry Spokesman reacts to IAEA chief’s statement on Iran’s withdrawal of designation of agency inspectors

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has reacted to a statement by Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s move to withdraw the designation of a few experienced inspectors of the agency.

 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has reacted to a statement by Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s move to withdraw the designation of a few experienced inspectors of the agency.

 

Kanaani said, “Unfortunately, despite the Islamic Republic of Iran’s positive, constructive and continuous interaction with the agency, three European countries and the United States , within their excessive  demands, took advantage of the atmosphere in the Board of Governors for their own political goals with the aim of ruining the atmosphere of cooperation between Iran and the agency.”

 

He added, “Iran had already raised the alarm over the repercussions of such political abuses, including attempts to politicizing the atmosphere of the agency.”

 

The spokesman for the Iranian diplomatic service emphasized that the recent move by Iran was based on its sovereign rights stipulated in Article 9 of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement between Iran and the IAEA (INFCIRC 214).

 

He said the Islamic Republic of Iran expects that Western countries refrain from the policy of abusing international organizations, including the IAEA, and let the organizations carry out their professional and impartial activities away from political pressures.

 

Kanaani stressed the significance of the IAEA’s neutrality and said the Islamic Republic of Iran will, however, continue its positive cooperation within the framework of the agreements it has made.