Russia says will not support IAEA resolution against Iran

“It is becoming increasingly more obvious that the intent of Western participants in Vienna talks to approve the resolution on Iran at the current session of the IAEA Board of Governors is rather counter-productive for JCPOA,” Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said in his Telegram channel.

“Russia in no circumstances will associate itself with such resolution,” Ulyanov added.

Hours later, he admitted the Western participants in the Vienna talks submitted a draft resolution on Iran for adoption at the current session of the IAEA Board of Governors.

“For unknown reasons they believe that a resolution is the best way to address outstanding safeguards issues. Extremely doubtful,” he wrote on Twitter.

The IAEA has begun its regular Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, with Iran’s nuclear issue and Tehran’s cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog expected to take center stage.

During the event, the Board of Governors is supposed to adopt an anti-Iranian resolution drafted by Britain, France, Germany, and the United States, which aims to accuse Tehran of withholding cooperation with the agency and not doing enough to resolve the so-called outstanding issues.

Iranian officials have stressed the country will respond strongly and proportionately to any “unconstructive move” at the meeting of the IAEA’s Board of Governors.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdolahian stressed that the “unconstructive” move by the United States and its European allies to push for a resolution against Tehran will disrupt the process of negotiations aimed at the revival of the multilateral 2015 deal.

He noted that the parties obstructing the diplomatic path bear responsibility for the consequences of any potential resolution against Iran in the IAEA’s Board of Governors’ meeting.

The foreign minister said the countries that are pushing for adoption of an anti-Iranian resolution by the United Nations nuclear watchdog should also bear the repercussions of such a move.

“Those who push for anti-Iran resolution at IAEA will be responsible for all the consequences,” the top diplomat added.

He reiterated that Iran welcomes “a good, strong & lasting agreement,” believing that such agreement was within reach “if US/E3 are realistic.”