Envoy: UNSC meeting ‘unwarranted interference’ in Iran-IAEA cooperation
Iran condemned a recent UN Security Council’s meeting on its nuclear program, calling it an “unwarranted interference” in its ongoing cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani in a statement on Thursday described the Wednesday’s meeting as a “blatant political maneuver” which misuses the world body in an attempt to “advance narrow agendas.”
“We strongly object to this provocative and unwarranted meeting. This is not a legitimate discussion on non-proliferation—it is a blatant political maneuver and a misuse of the Security Council to advance narrow agendas,” he said.
“Such actions set a dangerous precedent that undermines the Council’s credibility,” he added.
The closed-door meeting on Tehran’s nuclear program, initiated by the UK, France and German at Washington’s request, came a few days after the IAEA Board of Governors made its observations about Iran’s nuclear issue.
UK snapback threats
After the meeting, the UK — which called for the meeting along with the United States, France, Greece, Panama, and South Korea — indicated that Iran’s actions could trigger the snapback of UN sanctions.
“We categorically reject the baseless claims made by the United States, the United Kingdom and France. These countries have conveniently ignored the reality that they themselves are responsible for the current situation.”
Iravani said the Security Council meeting had been held for discussing purely technical issues and thus fall exclusively within the mandate of the IAEA, which were just discussed last week at the Board of Governors in Vienna.
“There is no legitimate basis for Security Council involvement,” the statement said, calling it “an unwarranted interference in the ongoing, constructive engagement between Iran and the IAEA.”
“It serves only one purpose: to continue the failed and unlawful policy of maximum pressure against Iran,” Iravani said, referring to US President Donald Trump’s policy of targeting the Islamic Republic since taking office.
Iravani said it was the US that unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear agreement in 2018 in direct violation of Security Council Resolution 2231 and reimposed illegal sanctions, punishing the Iranian people.
“And it was the United Kingdom, France and Germany, European parties to the JCPOA that, instead of upholding their obligations, chose to appease Washington by failing to implement their commitments,” he added.
“The Security Council must not be exploited by those who openly defy its resolutions while demanding that others adhere to them,” Iravani said.
Also on Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it summoned the diplomatic representatives of the UK, France and Germany to convey its “strong protest at the irresponsible and provocative approach” of the three countries in convening the closed-door UN Security Council meeting on Tehran’s nuclear program.
There was “no technical or legal justification” for the meeting, the statement said, calling it “provocative and political, in line with the unilateral and nervous approach of the United States.”
The three European envoys said they would convey Iran’s protest to their respective governments.