Reza Najafi, who is also Iran’s Permanent Representative to the IAEA, told the Board of Governors that until the unlawful assault on its nuclear facilities, Iran had consistently demonstrated the highest level of transparency and cooperation with the Agency.
Citing official IAEA statistics, he noted that more than 72 percent of the Agency’s verification activities worldwide in states under safeguards took place in Iran, and over 22 percent of all IAEA inspections in 2024 were conducted at Iranian sites, even though Iran’s facilities represent only about three percent of global nuclear capacity.
Najafi stressed that despite this unprecedented oversight, the June 2025 report of the IAEA Director General—issued prior to the recent attacks—contained no indication of diversion of nuclear material or non-compliance by Iran.
He recalled that even U.S. intelligence agencies had acknowledged the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program. Nevertheless, the U.S. and the E3 (France, Germany, UK) adopted what he described as a “politically motivated” resolution against Iran in June.
The envoy condemned Washington’s admission of responsibility for the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling it a blatant violation of international law and a grave blow to the credibility of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). “That the so-called guardian of the NPT [the U.S.] not only justifies but even boasts of such attacks undermines the Treaty’s core principle of peaceful use of nuclear energy,” he said.
Najafi also criticized provocative remarks by European leaders, including the German Chancellor, who referred to Israel’s attacks as “dirty work done by others.”
He argued such positions amount to open support for aggression against safeguarded peaceful facilities, while shirking the E3’s legal obligations under the NPT and IAEA General Conference resolutions.
Despite these “exceptional circumstances and continued threats,” Najafi emphasized Iran’s goodwill in negotiating and signing a set of “practical steps” with the IAEA, finalized in Cairo after rounds of technical talks in Tehran and Vienna. Iran, he said, remains prepared to continue cooperation within the framework of parliamentary legislation, provided that its security, rights, and legitimate interests are fully respected.
