Russia, Iran Blast Leak of IAEA Report Again
VIENNA (Dispatches) – Iran and Russia have criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for failing again to ensure the confidentiality of its reports after the latest report on Iran’s notifying of the agency of its plan to step up enrichment at Natanz facility leaked to the media.
On Friday, Reuters said Iran had told the UN nuclear agency it planned to install three more cascades, or clusters, of advanced IR-2m centrifuges at its underground uranium enrichment plant at Natanz.
"Iran informed the Agency that the operator of the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) at Natanz ‘intends to start installation of three cascades of IR-2m centrifuge machines’ at FEP,” the news agency said, adding that the three cascades were in addition to one of IR-2m machines already used for enrichment there.
Iran’s permanent representative to Vienna-based international organizations Kazem Gharibabadi reacted to the report, tweeting that the IAEA’s "confidential report, based on Iran’s confidential letter, appeared in Media immediately even before the BoG Members could track it down,” referring to the IAEA Board of Governors.
The UN "Agency is not merely responsible to update the development, but shall ensure confidentiality of safeguards information,” he said.
"If neither the Agency nor its Member States are to be blamed for this crack in confidentiality, iaeaorg should revise its confidentiality mechanisms including regarding using GovAtom as the safe and confidential means for communications.”
GovAtom is a service provided by the IAEA to its member state representatives. It provides them with online documentation on the work of the Board of Governors and its committees.
Russia’s permanent representative Mikhail Ulyanov rallied behind Iran, criticizing the leak.
"Yet another confidential IAEA report on Iran was leaked to mass media immediately upon its circulation in Board of Governors. The Ambassador of Iran in his Twitter account has already reacted by suggesting to strengthen mechanisms of confidentiality. Good idea but will it help?” he asked.
Iran showed to the world the peaceful nature of its nuclear program by signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with six world states — namely the U.S., Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China — in 2015. The nuclear deal was also ratified in the form of a UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
However, Washington’s exit in May 2018 and the subsequent reimposition of unilateral sanctions against Tehran left the future of the historic agreement in limbo.
Tehran remained fully compliant with the JCPOA for an entire year, waiting for the co-signatories to fulfill their end of the bargain by offsetting the impacts of Washington’s bans on the Iranian economy. As the European parties failed to do so, Tehran moved in May 2019 to suspend its JCPOA commitments under Articles 26 and 36 of the agreement covering Tehran’s legal rights.
Iran responded Wednesday to the assassination of its top nuclear scientist by enacting a law ordering an immediate ramping up of its enrichment of uranium.
The measure also requires the expulsion of nuclear inspectors if American sanctions are not lifted by early February.
The new law orders the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to resume enriching uranium to a level of 20 percent immediately, returning Iran’s program to the maximum level that existed before the 2015 nuclear agreement reached with the Obama administration.
The new law also sets a two-month deadline for oil and banking sanctions against Iran to be lifted before inspectors are barred. The inspections are conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency, a branch of the United Nations. The speaker of Iran’s Parliament, Muhammad Baqer Qalibaf said the measure was meant to send the West a message in the aftermath of the assassination of top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh that the "one-way game is over.”
"The criminal enemy will not feel remorse unless we show a fierce reaction,” Qalibaf said. Lawmakers stood up in the chamber with fists in the air, chanting "death to Israel” and "death to America” as they passed the bill in a televised session.
The law was ratified Wednesday by Iran’s Guardian Council, an appointed body that oversees the elected government.
On Friday, Reuters said Iran had told the UN nuclear agency it planned to install three more cascades, or clusters, of advanced IR-2m centrifuges at its underground uranium enrichment plant at Natanz.
"Iran informed the Agency that the operator of the Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) at Natanz ‘intends to start installation of three cascades of IR-2m centrifuge machines’ at FEP,” the news agency said, adding that the three cascades were in addition to one of IR-2m machines already used for enrichment there.
Iran’s permanent representative to Vienna-based international organizations Kazem Gharibabadi reacted to the report, tweeting that the IAEA’s "confidential report, based on Iran’s confidential letter, appeared in Media immediately even before the BoG Members could track it down,” referring to the IAEA Board of Governors.
The UN "Agency is not merely responsible to update the development, but shall ensure confidentiality of safeguards information,” he said.
"If neither the Agency nor its Member States are to be blamed for this crack in confidentiality, iaeaorg should revise its confidentiality mechanisms including regarding using GovAtom as the safe and confidential means for communications.”
GovAtom is a service provided by the IAEA to its member state representatives. It provides them with online documentation on the work of the Board of Governors and its committees.
Russia’s permanent representative Mikhail Ulyanov rallied behind Iran, criticizing the leak.
"Yet another confidential IAEA report on Iran was leaked to mass media immediately upon its circulation in Board of Governors. The Ambassador of Iran in his Twitter account has already reacted by suggesting to strengthen mechanisms of confidentiality. Good idea but will it help?” he asked.
Iran showed to the world the peaceful nature of its nuclear program by signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with six world states — namely the U.S., Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China — in 2015. The nuclear deal was also ratified in the form of a UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
However, Washington’s exit in May 2018 and the subsequent reimposition of unilateral sanctions against Tehran left the future of the historic agreement in limbo.
Tehran remained fully compliant with the JCPOA for an entire year, waiting for the co-signatories to fulfill their end of the bargain by offsetting the impacts of Washington’s bans on the Iranian economy. As the European parties failed to do so, Tehran moved in May 2019 to suspend its JCPOA commitments under Articles 26 and 36 of the agreement covering Tehran’s legal rights.
Iran responded Wednesday to the assassination of its top nuclear scientist by enacting a law ordering an immediate ramping up of its enrichment of uranium.
The measure also requires the expulsion of nuclear inspectors if American sanctions are not lifted by early February.
The new law orders the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to resume enriching uranium to a level of 20 percent immediately, returning Iran’s program to the maximum level that existed before the 2015 nuclear agreement reached with the Obama administration.
The new law also sets a two-month deadline for oil and banking sanctions against Iran to be lifted before inspectors are barred. The inspections are conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency, a branch of the United Nations. The speaker of Iran’s Parliament, Muhammad Baqer Qalibaf said the measure was meant to send the West a message in the aftermath of the assassination of top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh that the "one-way game is over.”
"The criminal enemy will not feel remorse unless we show a fierce reaction,” Qalibaf said. Lawmakers stood up in the chamber with fists in the air, chanting "death to Israel” and "death to America” as they passed the bill in a televised session.
The law was ratified Wednesday by Iran’s Guardian Council, an appointed body that oversees the elected government.