U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo is urging Iran’s regime to “immediately comply” with an international nuclear watchdog seeking to ensure the regime does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
In remarks to reporters June 24, Pompeo said the international community must act if Iran’s leaders refuse to comply with a recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolution seeking disclosure of Iran’s nuclear activities. Pompeo said Iranian officials must provide inspectors access to two potentially sensitive nuclear sites.
“Iran’s denial of access to IAEA inspectors and refusal to cooperate with the IAEA’s investigation of potentially undeclared nuclear material and activity raises serious questions about Tehran’s efforts and what it is precisely that they are trying to hide,” Pompeo said during the briefing in Washington.
On June 19 the IAEA passed a resolution, introduced by France, Germany and the United Kingdom, that faults the regime for a lack of forthrightness on potential undeclared nuclear activities and materials. The resolution also says Iranian officials denied inspectors access to two sites.
The IAEA is seeking to ensure Iran’s compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the landmark deal that has limited the spread of nuclear weapons for 50 years. Iran ratified the NPT in 1970, committing not to pursue nuclear weapons and to accept oversight from the IAEA.
The United States is using economic sanctions to compel Iran’s leaders to permanently scrap pursuit of nuclear weapons and stop funding terrorism. The U.S. also has sanctioned top regime nuclear scientists to compel them to stop working toward nuclear weapons and pursue peaceful endeavors.
Stonewalling IAEA inspections is merely the regime’s latest refusal to comply with its own past commitments to limit its nuclear program. In July 2019, the regime broke a commitment to limit stockpiling of uranium and began enriching uranium beyond any peaceful need.
U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook told reporters June 19 that the IAEA resolution shows that Iran’s regime has failed to meet legally binding disclosure requirements under the NPT for roughly a year, and that the U.S. will continue to work with international partners to force compliance.
“Iran has a choice,” Hook said at the June 19 briefing. “It can answer the IAEA’s questions and comply with the legitimate requests for access, let inspectors travel freely, and be transparent about its activity, or Iran can take its current path of stonewalling and deception.”
What is Iran hiding from the IAEA? Today the @IAEAorg Board called on Iran to cooperate immediately regarding possible hidden nuclear material and activities. Iran’s nuclear safeguards obligations are clear: Tehran must provide the IAEA all required information and access. pic.twitter.com/EO2e4OAZvV
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) June 20, 2020