News / Nuclear Energy

Amano: IAEA has access to all sites it needs in Iran

Thursday, 23 November 2017 1:11 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 23 November 2017 4:23 PM ]

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Yukiya Amano waits for the start of the Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, November 23, 2017. (Photo by AP)

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has once again confirmed Iran’s commitment to the terms of the 2015 nuclear agreement with six world powers, saying it has access to all sites it needs to inspect.

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano made the remarks in an introductory statement to a meeting of the agency's 35-nation Board of Governors in the Austrian capital on Thursday.

Amano said the IAEA “continues to verify and monitor Iran’s implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA,” using the acronym for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as the deal is officially called.

“The nuclear-related commitments undertaken by Iran are being implemented,” he added.

The IAEA chief also noted that the agency would continue the verification process regarding the non-diversion of nuclear material and the absence of undeclared activities in Iran.

“As of today, the agency has had access to all the locations that we needed to visit,” he said.

Amano further touched on his October 29 visit to Tehran, where he held talks with Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and other government officials.

PressTV-Amano: Iran implementing commitments under JCPOA

Discussions are expected to focus on the verification and monitoring of the implementation of the 2015 nuclear agreement, according to the IAEA.

Amano said during the visit he had stressed the importance of full implementation by Iran of its commitments under the JCPOA.

The JCPOA was reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries — namely the US, Russia, China, France, and Britain plus Germany — in July 2015. Under the deal, Iran undertook to apply certain limits to its nuclear program in exchange for the termination of all nuclear-related sanctions against Tehran.

Eight IAEA reports have so far confirmed Iran’s full commitment to its side of the bargain.

On October 13, US President Donald Trump refused to formally certify that the Islamic Republic was complying with the deal, warning that he might ultimately “terminate” it.

Trump further said he was directing his administration “to work closely with Congress and our allies to address the deal’s many serious flaws.”

The US Congress has until mid-December to decide whether to re-impose the economic sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the JCPOA.

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