IAEA Chief Hails “Significant Progress” on Iran’s Nuclear Issue
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano lauded the “significant progress” made over Iran’s nuclear energy case, stressing that there have been “important developments” on the implementation of the agency’s safeguards in Iran.
“I believe the significant progress made on the Iran nuclear issue represents a real success for diplomacy. It demonstrates that even complex and challenging issues can be tackled effectively if all parties are committed to dialogue – not dialogue for its own sake, but dialogue aimed at achieving results,” said Amano in an address to the 70th regular session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
He added, “The sustained efforts of the IAEA, the P5+1 countries, the Security Council – and, of course, Iran itself – have got us to where we are today. The IAEA was able to make a vital contribution by sticking to its technical mandate and not straying into politics.”
“…there have been important developments concerning the implementation of IAEA safeguards in Iran,” Amano further said.
Elsewhere in his remarks Amano said he will work to provide a report on his final assessment of Tehran’s nuclear energy program by mid-December.
“We are now finalizing our analysis of all of the information at our disposal. I will present my final assessment on all past and present outstanding issues to the IAEA Board of Governors by December 15th. My report will be factual, objective and impartial. Our Member States will determine the appropriate response.”
On July 14, Iran and the IAEA signed a Road-map regarding the Islamic Republic’s nuclear work in the Austrian capital city of Vienna.
The agreement was reached on the same day Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany – also known as P5+1 or E3+3) finalized the text of the JCPOA in Vienna.
As part of the Road-map, the IAEA is required to finish its investigations on Iran’s nuclear activities and submit a report to the agency’s Board of Governors by December 15.
The UN nuclear monitoring agency has confirmed in its regular reports that Tehran has been complying with the terms of its agreement with the IAEA, required for the implementation of JCPOA.
Under the JCPOA, limits will be put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all economic and financial bans against Tehran.
