Iran's Top Diplomat Blasts Niki Heili's Intended Meeting with IAEA Chief

Rasa - Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in similar letters to International Atomic Energy Agency Chief Yukiya Amano and EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini warned that the US envoy's impending visit to Vienna over the Iran deal is meant to violate the 2015 nuclear agreement.

News ID: 431893

Date: 23 August 2017 - 21:01

RNA - "Although US officials are at liberty to travel to Vienna or other places, and although Agency officials are entitled to receive different people, the publicly stated purpose of this visit raises several serious concerns over further violations of the letter and spirit of the JCPOA and the UNSC Resolution 2231, which this time could also undermine the credibility of the Agency, which is vital to the non-proliferation regime in general and the JCPOA in particular," Zarif said.

Here is the full text of the Iranian foreign minister's letters to the IAEA and EU foreign policy chiefs.

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
19 August 2017

Excellencies,

I am writing to draw your kind attention to another step on the part of the United States that flies in the face of the JCPOA, the UNSC Resolution 2231 of 2015, and if not remedied, will challenge the credibility of the IAEA. It’s been widely reported that the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations “will travel to Vienna to discuss the US government’s concerns about the Iran nuclear deal with the International Atomic Energy Agency” and to “press IAEA on Iran deal compliance”.

Although US officials are at liberty to travel to Vienna or other places, and although Agency officials are entitled to receive different people, the publicly stated purpose of this visit raises several serious concerns over further violations of the letter and spirit of the JCPOA and the UNSC Resolution 2231, which this time could also undermine the credibility of the Agency, which is vital to the non-proliferation regime in general and the JCPOA in particular.

On one hand, even before the visit takes place, the way it is planned and publicized and the signal that it sends have notable detrimental consequences for the successful implementation of the JCPOA, in terms of the further uncertainty and ambiguity that it is designed to cause among other governments and the private sector with regard to the stability and future sustainability of the JCPOA. In this sense, this is another example of 'mala fide' on the part of the U.S. Government, with the aim of limiting Iran’s benefits from the deal; a constant practice of various agencies and instrumentalities of the United States ever since the JCPOA was even being negotiated, which has continued to be exacerbated even in a more grave and manifest manner during the current administration. Like other instances mentioned in my previous communications with the High Representative, this is in contradiction both with the spirit and the letter of the JCPOA, particularly its paragraphs 26, 28 and 29.

Moreover, this visit with its announced purpose, is not in conformity with several provisions of the JCPOA and the UNSC Resolution 2231 which deal with the role of the Agency and the necessity of upholding its independence and protecting the sensitive information that comes to its knowledge.

The Security Council has clearly emphasized “the essential and independent role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in verifying compliance with safeguards agreements.”

Regrettably, this visit, with the stated purpose to ‘press the Agency’, is widely perceived by the international community as a manifest and blatant attempt by a Permanent Member of the Security Council -- openly hostile to the JCPOA and determined to undermine and destroy it -- to put pressure on the Agency and adversely affect the professional and impartial nature of the work of the IAEA in carrying out the job entrusted to it by the UNSC Resolution 2231 and the resolutions of the Board of Governors, thereby undermining the independence and credibility of the work of the Agency.

It should be emphasized that -- as clearly stipulated in the JCPOA and UNSC Resolution 2231 -- the IAEA should avoid “hampering the economic and technological development of Iran” and respect “security provisions in force and the rights of individuals; and take every precaution to protect commercial, technological and industrial secrets as well as other confidential information coming to its knowledge.” Any Contribution to the destructive approach of the US Administration to undermine “successful implementation” of the JCPOA, or sharing any information on Iran and its nuclear activities, which is not included in regular updates that Director General provides to the IAEA Board of Governors, with any third party including the U.S. government’s envoy will not be in conformity with the above-mentioned provision.

I am confident the Director General and his team will deal with this visit and other similar attempts with absolute professionalism and integrity. I request the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in her capacity as the coordinator of the Joint Commission, to distribute this letter among all participants of the Joint Commission, and to add this issue to the agenda of the upcoming meeting of the Commission for further consideration and due action.

Please accept, Excellencies, the assurances of our highest consideration.

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