An Iranian ambassador has condemned recent moves by the US intended to prevent international nuclear cooperation in a letter addressed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday.
Kazem Gharib-Abadi, Tehran’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna, accused the US in his letter of irresponsible violations of international nuclear commitments. He also raised concerns regarding Washington’s moves against the promotion of peaceful atomic activity.
The ambassador urged members of the IAEA to react appropriately to the “unlawful conduct of the United States that is endangering international cooperation in the field of nuclear energy and technology.”
“I would like to bring to your attention to persistent… irresponsible conduct [by the US]with respect to its multilateral obligations and international law, to hamper international nuclear cooperation for peaceful purposes, which is a source of serious concern,” wrote Gharib-Abadi.
He also underlined that the IAEA’s ultimate goal is to promote research, development, and practical application of atomic energy for peaceful purposes throughout the world. According to Gharib-Abadi, Washington’s recent actions are undermining the agency’s objectives, and deter Iran and the international community from implementing their commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The letter follows a decision by the Trump administration on May 27 not to reissue waivers that allowed British, Chinese and Russian companies to work at three Iranian atomic sites. Outside parties were given 60 days to reduce activities on the three projects.
The undertakings, along with several others, were mandated under the 2015 nuclear agreement, which was intended to prevent Iran from developing an atomic bomb. Tehran agreed to limit its military nuclear program in exchange for relief from international restrictions. In May 2018, Trump withdrew from the agreement, blaming Iran for covertly violating it. Tehran denied these accusations, and the IAEA verified that Iran had conscientiously stuck to the protocol even after the US withdrawal.
However, after the US re-imposed sanctions on Iran as part of its ‘maximum pressure’ campaign in 2019, Tehran started to scale down its commitments under the JCPOA.
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