The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency has expressed “deep and growing concern” with Iran’s nuclear program yet it voted not to refer the case to the United Nations for further resolutions.
Ten days after Yukiya Amano went public in the latest IAEA report with his concerns about a possible military dimension to Iran’s nuclear program, the Board of Governors met to discuss a resolution prepared by the G5+1. The resolution was approved by 32 countries, with Cuba and Ecuador voting against while Indonesia abstained.
The resolution calls on Iran to respond to the United Nations’ earlier resolutions with greater speed.
Since 2006, the UN Security Council has imposed four sets of sanctions on Iran, but Iran has refused to stop its uranium enrichment activities, insisting that they are vital for producing fuel for its nuclear reactors.
The UN resolutions against Iran include blocking the transfer of missile capabilities to Iran, a ban on the sale of nuclear technology to Iran or the purchase of arms from Iran, as well as sanctions on a number of Iranian banks, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps and Iranian shipping.
The Board of Governors has also called on Iran to host an IAEA delegation to inspect its nuclear facilities.
Iran insists that its nuclear program is peaceful and refuses to stop its uranium enrichment.
