The Russian Federation hopes that Iran and the IAEA will find ways to ensure monitoring of all sites for renewal of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). This was stated in a speech by Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, at a session of the IAEA Board of Governors following the visit to Tehran by IAEA head Rafael Grossi, which was issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.
"The continuation of the IAEA video surveillance at the facilities of the Iranian nuclear infrastructure, which are crucial for the reanimation of the JCPOA, is of fundamental importance. As long as the director-general confirms that it is possible to restore the integrity of knowledge on this account, negotiators will work under relatively comfortable conditions. Of course, this conclusion of the director-general should cover all relevant facilities, including the centrifuge component manufacturing facility in Karaj," he said. "The assumption is that Iran and the agency will be able to find mutually acceptable options that would allow for continued monitoring of work at Karaj in the interest of the JCPOA," Ulyanov added.
In February 2021, Iran agreed to allow the IAEA to install surveillance cameras, including at Karaj. However, as a result of the attack on the facility in Karaj, the facility was partially destroyed and the IAEA equipment installed there was damaged. "We categorically condemn such irresponsible acts against nuclear infrastructure facilities as well as agency property. We understand the desire of the Iranian side to conduct a thorough investigation of what happened," the diplomat said.
He reminded that Russia sees no alternative to the nuclear deal in its original state in the interest of regional peace and stability, as well as strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime. Ulyanov added that Moscow welcomes the resumption of the Vienna talks on the restoration of the JCPOA, scheduled for November 29. "We are determined to continue interaction in the Vienna format with the involvement of all the countries participating in the JCPOA as well as US representatives," Ulyanov concluded.
On the visit of the IAEA Director-General to Tehran
On November 23, the IAEA director-general held talks with the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Eslami and also met with the Iranian Foreign Minister. Grossi said the talks with Iran "were inconclusive," although they were "constructive, correct and professional". He said Tehran and the IAEA must conclude an agreement on the basis of which inspection activities in the country will be resumed.
The JCPOA was signed with Iran in 2015 by the permanent five of the UN Security Council and Germany to address the crisis over Iran's nuclear program. Previous US President Donald Trump decided in 2018 to withdraw from the JCPOA. The current head of the US administration, Joe Biden, has repeatedly signaled a willingness to bring the US back into the nuclear deal with Tehran. The five-plus-one group (Russia, Britain, Germany, China, the United States and France) has been negotiating with Iran to restore the JCPOA to its original form since April in Vienna, and six rounds of such meetings have taken place so far. The next round is scheduled to begin on November 29.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS