Baku, Azerbaijan, May 2
By Emil Ilgar – Trend:
The secretary general of international atomic watchdog says Iran’s nuclear deal represents “a significant gain” for nuclear verification.
“In 2015, the IAEA helped to bring about an important agreement between Iran and the group of countries known as the P5+1 – and the EU – known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the JCPOA,” the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Yukiya Amano said in a statement to Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
According to a report, released on IAEA’s website on May 2, he added that “since implementation of the JCPOA began in January 2016, we have been verifying and monitoring Iran’s implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the agreement. The JCPOA represents a significant gain for nuclear verification”.
Amano said that Iran is now subject to the world’s most robust nuclear verification regime.
“Our inspectors have expanded access to sites, and have more information about Iran’s nuclear programme. That programme is smaller than it was before the JCPOA came into effect. Iran is provisionally implementing the additional protocol to its safeguards agreement with the Agency”.
He said the IAEA will continue to implement safeguards in Iran with a view to being able to draw, in due course, the “broader conclusion” that all nuclear material remains in peaceful activities.
“This is likely to take many years,” added Amano.