Iran condemns UN watchdog vote

IRAN yesterday condemned a UN nuclear watchdog resolution requiring that Tehran be reported to the Security Council, but stopped short of announcing the retaliatory measures expected by many diplomats.

Speaking to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) annual gathering of its 138 members, Iranian Vice-President Gholamreza Aghazadeh did not say Iran would resume uranium enrichment, which can be used to produce fuel for weapons.

“This resolution is based on an invalid legal precept, an unjustified technical ground and a misguided political forecast,” Mr Aghazadeh told the IAEA’s General Conference.

The IAEA board of governors on Saturday passed the resolution based on Iran’s failure to persuade the international community that its nuclear program was entirely peaceful.

Washington accuses Tehran of developing nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program which Tehran insists is solely aimed at generating electricity.

Diplomats in Vienna had expected a more vehement reaction by Mr Aghazadeh, who is also the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, to the resolution passed by majority vote.

“After the vote, I had expected Iran to immediately announce that it would retaliate in some way, perhaps by enriching uranium and ending Additional Protocol inspections,” an EU diplomat said.

“But this didn’t happen. We expect something soon,” the diplomat added.