TEHRAN, Iran: Iran’s president on Wednesday warned the UN nuclear watchdog to expect a “stern response” from his country regarding the agency’s demands for Iran to provide access to sites where Tehran is thought to have stored or used undeclared nuclear material.
In a televised speech, President Hassan Rouhani said a stern response “is easy” for Iran but that the country prefers cooperation with the UN watchdog.
The remarks reflect Tehran’s irritation at a resolution adopted last week by the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency demanding access to the sites. The resolution was proposed by Germany, France and Britain while Russia and China voted against it.
Iran has dismissed allegations of nuclear activities at the sites in question.
Rouhani said on Wednesday that “Iran is still ready to accept legal surveillance by the (UN) agency and would continue close cooperation within the legal framework” of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
The IAEA resolution came after the agency’s Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated concerns that Iran had denied for more than four months access to UN inspectors to two locations “to clarify our questions related to possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities.”
Activities at the sites are thought to have been from the early 2000s, before Iran signed the nuclear deal. Iran maintains the IAEA has no legal basis to inspect them.
“The agency should not exit its legal path,” said Rouhani, stressing that the issues raised “belong in the past, dating 18 to 20 years ago.”
It is not clear what effect the new resolution will have on the nuclear deal but Iran has threatened unspecified consequences.
The IAEA maintains that of the two sites that Iran has blocked access to, one was partially demolished in 2004. At the other, the agency said it observed activities “consistent with efforts to sanitize” the facility from July 2019 onward.
A third site, the IAEA said, had undergone “extensive sanitization and leveling” in 2003 and 2004 and there would be no verification value in inspecting it.
The watchdog also said Iran has “not engaged in any substantive discussions” with the IAEA for almost a year to answer the agency’s questions about possible undeclared nuclear material and activities. The agency also said that Iran has continued to increase its stockpiles of enriched uranium and remains in violation of the nuclear deal.
In 2018, President Donald trump pulled the US out of the deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran. Tehran has since then hoped that the other signatories to the deal — Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China, which have been struggling to save the accord — would increase economic incentives to make up for hard-hitting sanctions imposed by Washington after the US withdrawal.
Iran accuses the US of trying to prevent that by pressuring the countries still in the deal. Meanwhile, Iran has been violating its restrictions, including the amount of uranium it can enrich and the purity of enrichment, to try to pressure the five countries.
“We expect the agency to preserve its independence,” Rouhani said.
Iran’s Rouhani warns UN agency over nuke site access demands
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Iran’s Rouhani warns UN agency over nuke site access demands
- President Hassan Rouhani said a stern response ‘is easy’ for Iran but that the country prefers cooperation with the UN watchdog
Oman and Lebanon call for full Israeli withdrawal, urge end to attacks
- Joseph Aoun and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq make a joint call for an immediate halt to Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory
- Reaffirmation of the unified Arab position on ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders
BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and his Omani counterpart Sultan Haitham bin Tariq on Wednesday made a joint call for an immediate halt to Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory and a full withdrawal from all occupied Arab lands, warning that continued violations pose a direct threat to regional stability.
The statement came during a high-level summit in Muscat, where both leaders voiced “serious concern over the ongoing Israeli aggression” and described the occupation as a “clear violation” of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and other international resolutions.
The two sides also expressed support for international efforts to de-escalate tensions, stabilize the situation on the ground, facilitate the return of displaced persons, and advance post-conflict reconstruction.
Aoun led a Lebanese ministerial delegation to Oman that included Lebanon’s ministers of foreign affairs, interior, defense, health, and agriculture for talks with Omani officials.
The joint statement emphasized the strengthening of bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in key sectors including politics, the economy, investment, banking, tourism, transport, and logistics.
Both sides called for early preparations to hold the first session of the Omani-Lebanese Joint Committee, chaired by the two foreign ministers in Muscat, and to pursue new agreements and memorandums of understanding intended to enhance collaboration in trade, culture, and science. The statement also highlighted the need to boost private sector engagement in shared development opportunities.
The Omani side reaffirmed its full support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, as well as for strengthening Lebanese state institutions, particularly the army and legitimate security forces, and backing the country’s ongoing economic, financial, and administrative reforms.
The two sides reaffirmed the unified Arab position on ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They also underscored the importance of strengthening Arab solidarity, respecting the sovereignty of states, and upholding the principles of good neighborliness and international law.
Aoun’s official visit to Oman took place within the context of Muscat’s established role as a regional and international mediator. During his meetings, Aoun praised Oman’s diplomatic standing and approach, describing it as “wise and responsible.”
He commended Oman’s foreign policy, grounded in dialogue, mediation, balance, and good neighborliness, saying it had earned the sultanate a “distinguished status and a pivotal role in promoting stability and resolving conflicts through peaceful means.”
Aoun said that, in Lebanon, “we hold this wise approach in high regard and deeply value the sultanate’s steadfast support for Lebanon in various international forums, as well as its support as we confront the challenges before us.”
For his part, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq reaffirmed Oman’s continued commitment to Lebanon’s stability and its close monitoring of the latest developments in the country.
He emphasized the deep-rooted relations between the two countries and the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation and coordination. The sultan also praised the positive contributions of the Lebanese community in Oman.
On the sidelines of the visit, Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmed Al-Hajjar held a meeting with his Omani counterpart Hamoud bin Faisal Al-Busaidi at Al-Alam Palace in Muscat. They underlined the enhancement of joint cooperation, particularly in security and policing.
According to a joint statement, the discussions also covered Lebanon’s efforts to consolidate internal security and maintain stability.
Participating on the Omani side in the expanded talks were Al-Busaidi; Shihab bin Tarik Al-Said, deputy prime minister for defense affairs; Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi, foreign minister of Oman; Hamad bin Said Al-Aufi, head of the private office; Mahad bin Said Ba’owain, minister of labor and head of the honorary mission; Saud bin Hamoud Al-Habsi, minister of agricultural, fisheries and water resources; and Hilal bin Ali Al-Sabti, minister of health.
