IAEA inspectors expelled over their countries’ hostile stances: Nuclear chief
Iran’s nuclear chief said the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who were expelled from Iran in September, were from three European countries that had repeatedly adopted hostile political stances against Tehran.
Mohammad Eslami said that the IAEA has 127 verified inspectors in Iran, and those who were expelled had not visited Iran for several years.
Eslami noted that the European countries want Iran to unilaterally implement all the terms of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal while they do not fulfill any of their obligations.
Iran’s move, known as “de-designation” of inspectors, is allowed; member states can generally veto inspectors assigned to visit their nuclear facilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and each country’s safeguards agreement with the agency governing inspections.
But the IAEA said Tehran’s decision went beyond normal practice. It said Iran had told the agency that it would bar “several” inspectors, without giving an exact number.
Iran defended its move and accused the US, Britain, France and Germany of politicizing the IAEA watchdog.
“Unfortunately, despite Iran’s positive, constructive and continuous interaction with the agency, the three European countries and the United States abused the (IAEA’s) Board of Governors for their own political purposes,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani.