‘IAEA Meeting Good Chance for Iran to Protest West’s Violations’

Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said the meeting to be held on July 10, 2019 at the US request to discuss Iran’s nuclear activities will be a chance for the Islamic Republic to openly announce cases of the US and Europe’s violations of obligations under the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“I think in this meeting, instead of Iran being the key topic of discussion, the Islamic Republic of Iran will have the opportunity to make claims and challenge their moves,” said Mousavi in an interview with IRNA.

“It is strange that the United States, … which has breached the JCPOA overtly and covertly, has called for the [IAEA] Board of Governors to review Iran’s status. This is one of bitter ironies that we have faced in recent years,” he said.

He also touched upon the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) member states’ backing for Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors’ meeting.

“NAM member states have adopted a single policy and supported Iran’s rightful position at the UN General Assembly, the IEAE and other forums that they have attended,” he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mousavi touched upon Iran’s abidance by its agreements, saying the Islamic Republic will stand behind its rights. However, he underlined that Iran is not seeking tensions and confrontation.

He then thanked France for making efforts to bring the US back to the negotiating table and save the JCPOA.

However, he said, no new talks are on the agenda.

“If negotiations and consultations are to be held, they will be aimed at the enforcement of the nuclear deal and fulfilment of commitments by the three European countries along with Russia and China,” he said.

The spokesman also said he had heard about a “freeze in exchange for freeze” plan, based on which the US would suspend its recent sanctions and Iran freeze its nuclear measures. However, it’s not official yet.

The talk of “freeze plan” was later dismissed by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said “we neither know what ‘freeze plan’ is, nor have we heard it from the other side.”