France, Britain and Germany — all members of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors — are planning to introduce a resolution on Wednesday with US backing to censure Iran over its nuclear activity. As a result, Iran has reportedly offered to make concessions to prevent the censure resolution.
A German Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Iran International that the resolution will “formally rebuke Tehran over its failure to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog and urges the Islamic Republic to take appropriate steps in this regard.” “Iran has not fulfilled its obligations under the NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] and Safeguards Agreements,” the spokesperson added. The Board of Governors will meet on Wednesday in Vienna.
A censure resolution being voted on by the IAEA board would mean a formal show of disapproval from the IAEA, effectively a tool for political pressure. A resolution like this could also potentially lead to Iran being referred to the UN Security Council, which could result in punitive action, although this would likely be blocked by some permanent members of the council.
Citing diplomatic sources, Reuters reported that the resolution would also require the IAEA to issue a “comprehensive report” on Iran’s nuclear activities, which is a more detailed report in addition to the IAEA’s regular quarterly reports on Iran.
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