Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, June 8, 2021—One of the key highlights of the June 7 convention of Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was Iran’s nuclear program, an issue that has been the center of growing tension between Tehran and the international community in the past months.
“The lack of progress in clarifying the agency’s questions concerning the correctness and completeness of Iran’s safeguards declarations seriously affects the ability of the IAEA to provide assurance of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said at the meeting.
Grossi expressed alarm that after many months, the Iranian regime has not provided the necessary explanation for the presence of the nuclear material particles at any of the three locations where the agency has conducted complementary accesses.
“In the absence of such an explanation from Iran, I am deeply concerned that nuclear material has been present at the three undeclared locations in Iran and that the current locations of this nuclear material are not known by the agency. Nor has Iran answered the questions with regard to the other undeclared location, or clarified the current location of natural uranium in the form of a metal disc,” Grossi said.
Grossi also expressed concern that since his last report, “Iran has provided no new information in relation to one location; has not answered any of the agency’s questions nor provided any information in relation to two other locations; and provided a written statement on a fourth location without any substantiating documentation.”
“The presence of multiple uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at three locations in Iran not declared to the agency, as well as the presence of isotopically altered particles at one of these locations, is a clear indication that nuclear material and/or equipment contaminated by nuclear material has been present at these locations,” Grossi said.
Grossi reiterated his concerns at a press conference after the meeting. “We haven’t had any concrete progress on any of the issues,” he said.
These remarks come on the heels of a full round of negotiations between Iran and world powers, and at a time where the proponents of the appeasement policy have been continuously pushing for the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal and reject any added pressure on the Iranian regime. Nearly six months into the Biden administration, which many politicians believed would steer the Iranian regime toward better cooperation with the international community, Tehran has yet to show any sign of good will and continues to defy international norms by racing toward weapons-grade nuclear material.
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken acknowledged that the U.S. still does not know whether Iran is ready to resume compliance with its 2015 nuclear deal and if Tehran continues to violate the pact.
“It remains unclear whether Iran is willing and prepared to do what it needs to do come back into compliance,” Blinken said. “Meanwhile, its program is galloping forward…. The longer this goes on, the more the breakout time gets down… it's now down, by public reports, to a few months at best. And if this continues, it will get down to a matter of weeks.”
The escalating tensions between Tehran and the international community are a reminder of the nature of the mullahs’ regime. For decades, the regime has taken advantage of the West’s silence and inaction to spread fundamentalism and extremism across the region, develop nuclear arms and ballistic missiles, and crack down on protesters and opponents at home. Meanwhile, many in western states continue to believe that the threats of the regime can be contained through concessions and turning a blind eye on its belligerence and provocative activities.
The past few months and the regime’s continued disrespect of international norms are further proof of how trustable this regime is. The reality is that a regime that has founded its entire rule on waging war and spreading violence can’t back down on any of its destructive activities because it knows that doing so would sow the seeds of the regime’s undoing.
Whether they like it or not, diplomats and politicians should stay aware of this reality as they convene for the next round of talks with their Iranian counterparts on Thursday.
