UN watchdog demands answers from Iran as nuclear tensions rise again
IAEA board passes new resolution asking Iran to explain its nuclear activities and boost cooperation. Western countries reject Irans last-minute uranium enrichment cap offer‚ setting stage for possible escalation
The IAEAs board made a tough-call this thursday‚ pushing forward with a resolution that demands better cooperation from Iran (despite a last-minute deal attempt)
Mohammad Eslami‚ Irans nuclear chief got quick to respond after the vote results came in - 19 countries supported the text while 3 opposed it and 12 didnt pick sides. The western-backed resolution asks Iran to explain uranium traces found at un-declared sites and let inspectors do their job
Last week Rafael Grossi the IAEA director visited Tehran and talked with newly-elected president Masoud Pezeshkian about limiting high-grade uranium production; however the west-european countries and US didnt buy into Iranʼs offer since it came with strings attached
The resolution asks for a full report by early-2025 which could lead to:
- New talks about nuclear limits
- Possible return of UN sanctions
- Changes in monitoring rules
Iran keeps enough 60%-pure uranium for several devices (if further enriched) but says its not making weapons. The country has history of pushing back after such resolutions - either increasing nuclear work or cutting-off inspector access; so more changes might come soon
The situation gets more complex with the US elections coming up next year and the 2015 deal rules ending in oct-2025. China Russia and Burkina Faso voted against todays text showing how the global powers dont agree on this issue
