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Iran urges explanation from Austria over ‘fake’ report on nuclear program
In its annual report on global threats, Austria's domestic intelligence service (DSN) said Monday that Iran's "nuclear weapons development program is well advanced."
"All efforts to prevent Iran's armament through sanctions and agreements have so far proved ineffective," the Austrian report claimed.
Baqaei condemned "the fake information" disseminated in the report and demanded an explanation from the Austrian government.
He said the report is solely produced to create “media hype” against Iran and thus it “lacks any validity or credibility.”
The Foreign Ministry spokesman also urged the Austrian government to explain the “irresponsible, provocative, and destructive” behavior of the DSN, which is spreading lies about Iran.
He further highlighted Iran’s membership of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), saying the country’s nuclear program has been subject to the heaviest scrutiny by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Austria's anti-Iran intelligence report undermines the credibility of the IAEA, the UN’s nuclear agency, the spokesman noted.
He also said, “Austria and some other European countries are deceitfully silent about the arming of the Zionist regime with all kinds of weapons of mass destruction and prevent the realization of a West Asia free from WMDs through their all-out support for the genocidal and occupying [Israeli] regime.”
However, Iran as a “staunch opponent of nuclear weapons and other WMDs, is a founder and steadfast supporter of the idea of freeing the region from weapons of mass destruction, Baqaei added.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also summoned Austria’s chargé d'affaires to convey Tehran’s protest to Vienna over the hostile move.
The United States, Israel and other Western countries have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to acquire a nuclear weapon.
Iran has categorically denied the claims, instead arguing that it is pursuing a nuclear program for civilian purposes alone.
Iran manifested the peaceful nature of its nuclear program to the world by signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with six world powers in 2015.
The landmark deal was derailed in 2018 by the US, which unilaterally walked out of the accord and launched its so-called campaign of maximum pressure against Iran.
Since April 12, Iran and the US have begun new negotiations to reach a deal on Tehran's nuclear program. Both countries have described the talks as “positive and constructive”.