The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says his agency needs a larger budget to fulfill its responsibility to monitor Iran’s nuclear program.
Yukiya Amano says the IAEA role as envisioned in the nuclear agreement reached in Vienna between Iran and the 5+1 requires a budget of 800,000 euros per month.
Amano said once the program is implemented, the agency will need an annual budget of 9.2 million euros to maintain it.
Amano said on Tuesday August 25 that so far the cost of inspections has been covered by extra-budgetary contributions from member states, but those funds will be exhausted by the end of the month.
Amano made his call for an increased budget at the IAEA’s first Board of Governors meeting since the July agreement, where he also provided a report on the IAEA’s activities and methodology in connection with Iran’s nuclear program.
He called on member states to provide the necessary budget for the IAEA to continue its role as delineated in the agreement.
