EU questions IAEA's plan with Iran

Wednesday, 12 September 2007

[Reuters, 10 and 11 September; IAEA, 12 September] MohamedElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA), reportedly walked out of the afternoon session of the IAEA on11 September in protest of a European Union (EU) speech that did notfully support his recent deal for new inspections in Iran. IAEAofficials deny ElBaradei's actions constituted a protest, insteadexplaining that the EU speech had been subject to much discussion. On21 August, Iran agreed to answer five-year-old IAEA questions regardingits nuclear program one by one over a timeline of a few months, whilesuspending its uranium enrichment efforts. However, yesterday the EUpresented a statement declining to endorse the plan, claiming that itwould enable Iran to delay UN sanctions while giving the country moretime to continue improving its enrichment capabilities. In addition,Non-Aligned Movement nations, which include Iran, rejected"interference" in Tehran's cooperation with the IAEA. Today, Germanambassador Klaus Peter Gottwald, speaking on behalf of Germany, Franceand the UK, said: "We are... concerned by the sequential nature of thework plan as it may possibly be used to delay the clarification of theoutstanding questions." He added, "We would have preferred an approachproviding for parallel efforts. If Iran evades or delays theclarification ... the work plan will be a failure." ElBaradei hasacknowledged that the plan was limited and by itself would not absolveIran of all suspicions, despite Iranian assertions since agreeing tothe deal that its nuclear dossier is now "closed".

[Reuters, 10 and 11 September; IAEA, 12 September] Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reportedly walked out of the afternoon session of the IAEA on 11 September in protest of a European Union (EU) speech that did not fully support his recent deal for new inspections in Iran. IAEA officials deny ElBaradei's actions constituted a protest, instead explaining that the EU speech had been subject to much discussion. On 21 August, Iran agreed to answer five-year-old IAEA questions regarding its nuclear program one by one over a timeline of a few months, while suspending its uranium enrichment efforts. However, yesterday the EU presented a statement declining to endorse the plan, claiming that it would enable Iran to delay UN sanctions while giving the country more time to continue improving its enrichment capabilities. In addition, Non-Aligned Movement nations, which include Iran, rejected "interference" in Tehran's cooperation with the IAEA. Today, German ambassador Klaus Peter Gottwald, speaking on behalf of Germany, France and the UK, said: "We are... concerned by the sequential nature of the work plan as it may possibly be used to delay the clarification of the outstanding questions." He added, "We would have preferred an approach providing for parallel efforts. If Iran evades or delays the clarification ... the work plan will be a failure." ElBaradei has acknowledged that the plan was limited and by itself would not absolve Iran of all suspicions, despite Iranian assertions since agreeing to the deal that its nuclear dossier is now "closed".

Further information

WNA's Iraq, North Korea & Iran - Implications for Safeguards information paper

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