Iran says UN nuclear watchdog’s report will complicate upcoming talks with US

By Ahmet Dursun, Ömer Aşur Çuhadar and Rania Abu Shamala

TEHRAN, Iran/ISTANBUL (AA) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that a resolution adopted by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) against Iran will complicate nuclear talks with the US.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to the Norwegian capital, Oslo, Araghchi criticized the resolution, which was submitted by the US, the UK, France and Germany.

He noted that Tehran and Washington will continue talks on Iran’s nuclear program in Oman’s capital, Muscat, on Sunday.

Araghchi said Iran will attend the talks “to defend the rights of the Iranian people, Iran’s principled positions and the achievements of our nuclear scientists.”

The IAEA, the UN's nuclear watchdog, found Iran in breach of its nuclear obligations for the first time in 20 years, prompting the agency’s Board of Governors to adopt a resolution Thursday declaring the country non-compliant with its international nuclear commitments.

It said Iran has failed to cooperate with the IAEA on undeclared nuclear materials.

The resolution, passed by the agency’s 35-member board, comes amid growing international concern over Iran’s nuclear activities.

Diplomatic sources said 19 countries voted in favor of the resolution, while Russia, China and Burkina Faso voted against it. Eleven countries abstained.

Pointing to Iran's "inability" to confirm the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, the adopted resolution could also result in a referral to the UN Security Council.

Condemning the IAEA resolution, Iran announced that it will establish a new enrichment facility as a response.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on Monday expressed "grave concern" over the scale of Iran's uranium enrichment, warning that the country's current stockpile is dangerously close to the level required for a nuclear weapon.

The IAEA resolution comes amid indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington mediated by Oman in a bid to find a path back to a nuclear agreement following the US’s withdrawal in 2018 from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The main sticking point in the talks remains Iran’s uranium enrichment program.​​​​​​​

While the US demands a complete halt to enrichment, Iranian negotiators insist the program is non-negotiable and will continue with or without a deal.