The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday closed the books on its decade-long probe of allegations that Iran worked on atomic arms, and Tehran proclaimed that within weeks, it would finish cutbacks on present nuclear programs that the US fears could be turned into making such weapons.
The UN watchdog agency’s probe had to be formally ended as part of a July 14 deal between Iran and six nations that involves the removal of economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for its commitment to crimp its nuclear program.
A resolution was approved by consensus of the agency’s board.
However, the move means that some questions about the alleged weapons work might never be resolved.
Before the resolution’s adoption, IAEA director-general Yukiya Amano told the board that his investigation could not “reconstruct all the details of activities conducted by Iran in the past.”
At the same time, he repeated an assessment he made last month that Iran worked on “a range of activities relevant” to making nuclear weapons, with coordinated efforts up to 2003 tapering off into scattered activities up to 2009.
Chief Iranian delegate Reza Najafi denied such work, in keeping with his country’s constant line during the protracted probe.
‘HISTORIC DAY’
Noting that formal closure of the issue negates a series of critical IAEA resolutions against his country, he said Tuesday was a “historic day’’ that opened the path to closer cooperation both with the agency and its member nations.
Amano hailed the “very important milestone.’’
At the same time, he said that — with his agency charged with monitoring Iran’s commitments under a deal that extends for more than a decade — “much work needs to be done in the future.”
“We cannot relax,” he said. “We cannot be complacent.”
Najafi said that — with the probe put to rest — Iran could meet its obligations under that agreement within “two or three weeks.”
However, it was unclear whether that time frame would include not only Iran’s declaration that it has met its commitment, but also IAEA verification that it has cut back or re-engineered equipment and programs that could be used to make nuclear weapons.
Amano said his agency would need “some weeks” to sign off on its certification.
NEXT STEPS
The deal also calls on Iran to ship to Russia most of its store of enriched uranium that is now at the level used to fuel reactors, but could be further processed into the fissile core of nuclear warheads.
Najafi said that transfer would be completed “within two or three days.”
Once the agency confirms that Iran has met its part of the deal, most individual and international sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program will be lifted.
The US’ head IAEA delegate Henry Ensher said the UN agency’s assessment was not surprising, considering “Iran’s long history of concealment, denial and deception.”
Ensher also said the agency could again be called upon to investigate Iran, noting that the closure of the probe does not prevent the agency from following up on “any new concerns regarding weaponization.”
ROCKET LAUNCH
Meanwhile, the firing of a medium-range ballistic missile in October violated UN sanctions banning Tehran from launches capable of delivering nuclear weapons, UN experts said in a new report.
The report submitted to the UN Security Council and seen by The Associated Press on Tuesday said the launch used ballistic missile technology banned under a June 2010 resolution.
The Oct. 10 launch was the first test of a ballistic surface-to-surface missile after the July 14 deal between Iran and six world powers.
The council endorsed that deal in a resolution on July 20 that also called on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.
Iran says none of its missiles are designed to carry nuclear weapons. The report said the missile had a range of at least 1,000km and up to 1,300km, and a payload of at least 1,000km and up to 1,400km.
The panel said a missile with a range of at least 300km and a payload of at least 500km is considered by expert guidelines to be capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction.
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