IAEA Board Passes Resolution Urging Iran to Clarify Nuclear Activities

The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has approved a resolution concerning Iran, drafted by France, Germany, and the United Kingdom with the support of the United States. The resolution, which calls for ‘immediate and complete transparency’, signals mounting Western diplomatic pressure on Tehran regarding its nuclear program.

According to international media reports, the resolution requires Iran to provide accurate and timely information to the agency about its uranium enrichment activities up to 60% and the status of nuclear sites that have previously been targeted in attacks. Diplomats attending the meeting stated that the primary aim of the resolution is to continue and expand the IAEA’s monitoring mission in Iran.

Out of the 35 members of the IAEA Board of Governors, 19 voted in favor of the resolution, while Russia, China, and Niger opposed it. Twelve countries abstained, and one country chose not to participate in the vote.

Corinne Kitsell, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the IAEA, said the purpose of the resolution is to reinstate prior monitoring mechanisms. However, she did not address the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement (JCPOA) in 2018, nor the failure of the European trio to uphold their commitments under the deal. Instead, she emphasized the need for Iran to take steps toward transparency.

Kitsell also refrained from mentioning the recent bombings of Iranian nuclear facilities during the recent 12-day conflict, an action that experts believe constitutes a clear violation of international norms. Despite such omissions, the UK representative maintained that the new resolution does not impose any additional obligations on Iran but rather redefines the agency’s monitoring mandate.

Iran has repeatedly warned that unilateral actions and pressure from the West not only fail to resolve the crisis but also make dialogue and cooperation more difficult. The support for the resolution, Western countries’ failure to consider the broader political and security context, and their selective approach underscore the ongoing double standards in handling Middle East issues.