Iran FM warns European powers against ‘strategic mistake' at nuclear watchdog
TEHRAN: Iran warned European powers on Friday against backing a draft resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency next week accusing Tehran of non-compliance, calling it a 'strategic mistake'.
'Instead of engaging in good faith, the E3 is opting for malign action against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors,' Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X, referring to Britain, France and Germany.
'Mark my words as Europe ponders another major strategic mistake: Iran will react strongly against any violation of its rights.'
The warning from Iran's top diplomat comes as the three European governments prepare to join Washington in backing a censure resolution at next week's board meeting, a diplomatic source told AFP.
The resolution would accuse Iran of failing to meet its nuclear obligations and carries the threat of referral to the UN Security Council if Tehran 'does not show goodwill', the source added.
Araghchi said Tehran had demonstrated 'years of good cooperation with the IAEA - resulting in a resolution which shut down malign claims of a 'possible military dimension' (PMD) to Iran's peaceful nuclear programme'.
'My country is once again accused of 'non-compliance,'' he added, blaming 'shoddy and politicised reporting'.
UN nuclear chief urges 'more transparency' from Iran
The criticism follows a quarterly report from the IAEA last week which cited a 'general lack of cooperation' from Iran and raised concerns over undeclared nuclear material.
Tehran rejected the report as politically motivated and based on 'forged documents' it said had been provided by its arch foe Israel.
The pressure on Iran comes amid indirect talks with the United States, mediated by Oman since April 12, to forge a new nuclear agreement between the longtime foes.
The two sides have been publicly at odds over uranium enrichment, the process that produces fuel for nuclear reactors or, in highly extended form, the material for a nuclear warhead.
Iran insists it has the right to enrich uranium under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the issue is 'non-negotiable'.
But in a post on his Truth Social network on Monday, President Donald Trump said the United States 'WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM' by Iran.
Tehran and Washington are seeking a new agreement to replace a 2015 deal with major powers which Trump unilaterally abandoned during his first term in 2018.
The agreement quickly unravelled as Trump reimposed sweeping sanctions and Tehran began walking back its own commitments a year later.
Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, well above the 3.67 percent cap set by the 2015 deal but below the 90 percent threshold required for a nuclear warhead.
Britain, France and Germany, which were all party to the 2015 deal, are considering whether to trigger a 'snapback' of UN sanctions under its dispute resolution mechanism – an option that expires on the deal's 10th anniversary in October.
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