(VOVWORLD) -The United States confirmed Thursday that it will join Europeans in backing a resolution urging Iran to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog, despite warnings from Tehran that the move could hinder diplomacy.
 State Department spokesman Ned Price (Photo: REUTERS) |
State Department spokesman Ned Price said ahead of a meeting next week that the US had planned to join the UK, France and Germany in seeking a resolution focused on the need for Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA. He said that the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency raised "very serious concerns that Iran has failed to credibly respond" to the Vienna-based body's questions. Price said it is essential for Iran to fully comply with its legally binding obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The IAEA report, issued on May 30, said the watchdog still had questions regarding nuclear material previously found at three sites, Marivan, Varamin, and Turquzabad, which had not been declared by Iran as having hosted nuclear activities. A day later, Iran called the IAEA report "unfair". This is one of the issues that has stalled negotiations between Iran and the West on restoring the 2015 nuclear deal officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
As scheduled, the IAEA Board of Governors will meet next Monday and the content of this draft resolution will still be discussed and adjusted before it is officially submitted.