UN nuclear agency board admonishes Iran
AUSTRIA: The UN atomic agency’s board approved with a crushing
majority Thursday a resolution criticising Iran brought by world powers
that was also aimed at dissuading Israel from military action.
The resolution expresses “serious concern that Iran continues to
defy” UN Security Council resolutions for it to suspend uranium
enrichment, a process which can be used for peaceful purposes but also
in a nuclear weapon.
It also highlights the International Atomic Energy Agency’s complaint
that activities at the Parchin base near Tehran, where it suspects
nuclear weapons research took place, would “significantly hamper”
inspectors -- should Iran let them visit.
The resolution was introduced at the meeting of the IAEA’s 35-nation
board of governors on Wednesday after days of haggling between Western
nations and Russia and China, which are seen as more lenient on Tehran.
It was approved by 31 countries, with Cuba voting against and Egypt,
Ecuador and Tunisia abstaining, all four of them members of the
Non-Aligned Movement of which Iran is currently the rotating president.
Another NAM member, South Africa, had introduced an amendment on a
minor change of wording that resulted in several hours’ delay. The last
resolution in November saw Cuba and Ecuador vote against and Indonesia
abstain.
AFP |