{"id":110894,"date":"2018-05-14T12:00:54","date_gmt":"2018-05-14T11:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=110894"},"modified":"2018-05-14T10:11:14","modified_gmt":"2018-05-14T09:11:14","slug":"iran-deal-represents-significant-verification-gain-un-atomic-energy-chief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2018\/05\/iran-deal-represents-significant-verification-gain-un-atomic-energy-chief\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran Deal Represents \u2018Significant Verification Gain\u2019 \u2013 UN Atomic Energy Chief"},"content":{"rendered":"

Speaking the day after the United States withdrew from an international agreement on Iran\u2019s nuclear programme, the head of the United Nations atomic watchdog agency made it clear that Iran has consistently stuck\u00a0to its commitments.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano briefs members of the media at a press conference held during the 1412th Board of Governors meeting on Iran. IAEA\/Dean Calma (file)<\/p><\/div>\n

9 May 2018 – <\/em>Yukiya Amano, who leads the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA<\/a>), said Iran was \u201csubject to the world\u2019s most robust nuclear verification regime<\/a>\u201d under the terms of the 2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.<\/p>\n

The JCPOA \u2013 reached by Iran, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the US and the European Union \u2013 sets out\u00a0rigorous mechanisms for monitoring<\/a>\u00a0restrictions placed on Iran\u2019s nuclear programme, while paving the way for the lifting UN sanctions against the country.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump, announced at the White House that the US would be withdrawing from the deal, and unilaterally begin reinstating economic sanctions against Iran at \u201cthe highest level\u201d.<\/p>\n

“As of today, the IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran” \u2014\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>IAEA chief Yukiya Amano\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In a live televised address, he did not claim that Iran was in violation of the terms of the deal, but described its so-called \u201csunset provisions\u201d \u2013 which lift restrictions on the country\u2019s ability to enrich uranium within 10 to 15 years \u2013 as \u201ctotally unacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n

UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres<\/a> said in a statement<\/a> shortly after the US announcement, that he was \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d by the decision, and called on the remaining parties to preserve the deal.<\/p>\n

The IAEA has said repeatedly that according to the Agency\u2019s inspectors on the ground in Iran, no violations of the agreement had taken place, and there has been no evidence of any activity relating to any \u201cnuclear explosive device\u201d, after 2009.<\/p>\n

The IAEA Director General said the agency would be \u201cclosely following developments related to the JCPOA, as requested by the United Nations Security Council and authorized by the IAEA Board of Governors in 2015.\u201d<\/p>\n

He described the three-year-old agreement as \u201ca significant verification gain\u201d adding that \u201cas of today, the IAEA can confirm that the nuclear-related commitments are being implemented by Iran\u201d.<\/p>\n