Iran warns of proportionate response to IAEA’s anti-Tehran resolution

On Wednesday, European countries submitted a new anti-Iran resolution to the IAEA ahead of the board meeting.

In a telephone conversation, Araghchi and Director General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi talked about the course of interaction between Iran and the IAEA following Grossi’s recent visit to Tehran and the developments pertaining to the regular November meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors.

Referring to the agreements made during the visit that Grossi paid to Iran last week, Araghchi said Iran has once again proved its goodwill and determination to promote cooperation with the IAEA.

On the decision by the UK, France and Germany to table a resolution critical of Iran at the IAEA, the foreign minister warned that if the other parties ignore Iran’s goodwill and interactive approach and press on with their unconstructive measures by issuing an anti-Iranian resolution at the IEAE Board of Governors meeting, Iran will respond in an appropriate and proportional manner.

Araghchi and Grossi also reaffirmed their commitment to proceeding with the course of dialogue and interaction in order to resolve the differences, work on the other issues on the agenda, and avoid unconstructive and confrontational attitudes.

The United States and its European allies have been taking numerous similar measures against Iran in line with their accusation against the Islamic Republic of alleged insufficient cooperation with the agency that runs counter to the standing status of the country and the body’s collaboration, which has even increased in frequency and quality over the past years.

During a televised interview on Saturday, Araghchi had likewise warned that any anti-Iran resolution would be met with “new actions” on the part of the Islamic Republic, “which they would surely not be happy about”.

The official had reminded during the interview that the IAEA was a technical organization bound by its relevant duties, which it had to observe by refraining from politicizing its decisions.

“It [however] looks like there is a political approach in this area, [as part of which] the Westerners are trying to force the agency’s director general into complicating the situation,” he had stated.

The foreign minister had, however, expressed certainty concerning the fact that Iran would invariably adopt a “technical attitude” towards the agency and had “no problem” in cooperating with the body in light of the fact that it was assured of the peaceful nature of its nuclear energy program.