The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) denounced on Tuesday the decision by the UN’s atomic agency to end its probe into Iran’s past nuclear weapons activities.
In a statement, AIPAC said it “deplores the vote by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board to close the file on the possible military dimensions (PMD) of Iran’s nuclear program.”
“The IAEA is closing this file even after discovering further suspicious evidence and experiencing additional Iranian obstinacy. The IAEA could have recommended delaying Implementation Day until Iran demonstrated substantial compliance with its obligation to explain its past illicit nuclear activities. This decision to whitewash the past represents an inauspicious beginning to the implementation process of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),” AIPAC added.
“For over a decade,” the statement continued, “Iran has repeatedly withheld critical information from the IAEA and has lied by consistently denying nuclear weaponization work in the face of solid evidence to the contrary. Tehran has continued this practice even after accepting the JCPOA last July. Iran has ignored some IAEA official inquiries, and has provided incomplete or deceptive responses to many others. Moreover, the IAEA has gained only limited access to suspect locations and personnel.”
“Without a complete understanding of Iran’s past nuclear weaponization efforts, the IAEA will lack a sufficient baseline to create an effective inspections and verification regime capable of assuring Iranian compliance with the JCPOA,” the AIPAC statement noted, adding that “it is impossible to estimate how long it will take Iran to assemble a nuclear weapon—to break out—so long as the full state of its weaponization efforts remains unknown.”
“The December 2 IAEA report confirmed that Iran has lied about its pursuit of a nuclear weapons program, and Iran continues its mendacity to this day. At the same time, Iran in recent weeks conducted a second illicit missile test to develop a capability to deliver a nuclear weapon, in clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The continued pattern of violations and obstruction does not bode well for its adherence to the nuclear agreement,” said AIPAC.
The United States, said the pro-Israel lobby, “should demand that the IAEA examines any new evidence of Iranian violations, and that the agency exercise maximum vigilance for Iranian compliance with the JCPOA. In addition, the United States should not hesitate to respond forcefully to any Iranian JCPOA violations.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the UN nuclear watchdog’s decision to close the probe, arguing it would allow it to focus on the implementation of the July 14 deal between Iran and the West.
Israel responded to the IAEA decision and warned that “serious doubts” still surround Iran’s nuclear program
“The IAEA report clearly indicates once again that Iran has conducted a coordinated effort to develop a nuclear explosive device, including activities taking place after 2003,” the Israeli foreign ministry said.
“For over a decade, Iran has been non-cooperative and deceptive,” a ministry statement read. “Serious doubts and outstanding issues regarding Iran’s program still remain.”
Leave a Reply