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Jordan News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Jordan News
For the First Time in 20 Years: UN Condemns Iran Over Nuclear Non-Compliance - Jordan News
For the First Time in 20 Years: UN Condemns Iran Over Nuclear Non-Compliance The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Board of Governors adopted a resolution on Thursday condemning Iran's non-compliance with its nuclear obligations — marking the first such resolution in two decades. The move could pave the way for the reimposition of international sanctions later this year. اضافة اعلان According to diplomats present at the closed session, 19 countries voted in favor of the resolution, while Russia, China, and Burkina Faso voted against it. Eleven countries abstained, and two did not vote. The resolution urges Iran to promptly provide explanations regarding the uranium traces found at multiple undeclared sites, an issue Iran has so far failed to address. Western officials suspect these traces could be evidence of a clandestine nuclear weapons program that Iran may have pursued until 2003. The draft was submitted by France, the UK, Germany, and the United States. While Iran had not issued an immediate response to the resolution, it had previously warned of swift retaliation if such a decision were passed. 'Iran's repeated failures since 2019 to fulfill its obligations and to provide full and timely cooperation with the IAEA concerning undeclared nuclear material and activities constitute non-compliance with its safeguards agreement,' the draft resolution stated. Rising Regional Tensions Under the NPT Safeguards Agreement, Iran is legally obligated to declare all nuclear materials and activities and allow IAEA inspectors to verify that none are being diverted for military purposes. The resolution also warned that the IAEA's inability to confirm the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program raises concerns that may fall under the jurisdiction of the UN Security Council, which is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. The vote comes at a critical geopolitical moment, as the U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday a partial withdrawal of non-essential staff from the Middle East due to heightened security risks. Simultaneously, diplomatic efforts continue, with the sixth round of U.S.-Iran talks on Iran's nuclear program scheduled to take place in Oman this Sunday, according to the Omani Foreign Minister. The resolution explicitly supports diplomacy, stating: 'We support a diplomatic resolution to concerns related to Iran's nuclear program, including the ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations, and encourage all parties to engage constructively and flexibly to reach a comprehensive settlement that ensures the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities and restores international confidence.' Diplomatic Track Still Open Despite the firm language, the resolution signals continued support for a diplomatic solution, emphasizing the importance of reaching an agreement that resolves all international concerns surrounding Iran's nuclear activities. The international community remains deeply concerned as Iran's enrichment program inches closer to weapon-grade levels, although Tehran insists its nuclear ambitions are purely peaceful. The upcoming talks in Oman are seen as a potential turning point to ease tensions and avoid a deeper crisis in the region.
Korea Herald
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
IAEA chief notes indications of NK uranium enrichment plants at Kangson, Yongbyon in operation
The International Atomic Energy Agency chief said Monday there are signs of North Korea continuing to operate uranium enrichment plants in two different locations, as he stressed further development of its nuclear program is a "clear" breach of UN Security Council resolutions. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi made the remarks in reference to the plants in Kangson near Pyongyang, and Yongbyon, north of the capital, as he delivered an introductory statement during the agency's Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria. The assessment came after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was reported in January to have toured a nuclear-material production base and a nuclear weapons institute -- a sign that Pyongyang is doubling down on its nuclear program though Seoul and Washington are pursuing the "complete" denuclearization of North Korea. "There are indications that the uranium enrichment plants at Kangson and Yongbyon continue to operate, and there are indications that the light water reactor at Yongbyon continues to operate," he said according to a transcript posted on the IAEA website. "Additions to the support infrastructure have been observed adjacent to the LWR," he added. The IAEA has also observed that the 5-megawatt nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon complex resumed in mid-October last year, following a shutdown period of about 60 days, Grossi said. "This shutdown is assessed to be of sufficient length to refuel the reactor and start its seventh operational cycle," he said. "Strong indicators of preparations for a new reprocessing campaign, including the operation of the steam plant serving the Radiochemical Laboratory, have been observed." The laboratory is known as a key reprocessing facility to yield plutonium. To build a nuclear bomb, around 6 kilograms of plutonium is known to be required. The director general took note of the release by the North's state media of photos depicting leader Kim visiting a nuclear material production base and the Nuclear Weapons Institute earlier this year. "The depicted centrifuge cascades and infrastructure are consistent with the layout of a centrifuge enrichment facility and with the structure of the Yongbyon Uranium Enrichment Plant. This development follows the DPRK's publication in September 2024 of photographs of an undeclared enrichment facility at the Kangson Complex," he said. DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "The undeclared enrichment facilities at both Kangson and Yongbyon, combined with General Secretary Kim's call for 'overfulfilling the plan for producing weapons-grade nuclear materials,' are of serious concern," he added. Grossi called the continuation of the North's nuclear program "deeply regrettable." "I call upon the DPRK to comply fully with its obligations under relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions, to cooperate promptly with the agency in the full and effective implementation of its NPT Safeguards Agreement and to resolve all outstanding issues, especially those that have arisen during the absence of agency inspectors from the country," he said. NPT stands for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
