By Gabriel Ani
The Governments of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States have expressed their strong support for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors’ decision to adopt a new resolution concerning Iran. The resolution, which highlights ongoing concerns about Iran’s nuclear activities, was prompted by the country’s continued failure to provide necessary information and cooperation, as required under international agreements.
In a joint statement released on November 23, 2024, the four nations underscored the importance of Iran’s compliance with the IAEA’s investigative efforts. “The resolution responds to Iran’s continued failure to provide the IAEA the information and cooperation needed to clarify long outstanding issues relating to undeclared nuclear material detected at multiple locations in Iran,” the statement read.
The IAEA has sought answers from Iran for nearly five years regarding the presence of undeclared nuclear material. Despite multiple requests and a previous resolution issued in June, Iran has not met its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Safeguards Agreement. “These issues are central to the Agency’s ability to provide assurance of the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme,” the Quad nations noted.
The latest resolution calls for an updated assessment of the IAEA’s findings, with hopes that Iran will provide the information necessary to demonstrate the peaceful intent of its nuclear program. The Quad countries emphasized that “it is essential and urgent that Iran resolve these issues.”
In a concerning development, Iran announced on November 22, 2024, that it intends to expand its nuclear activities in response to the resolution—a move the Quad nations described as lacking any “credible peaceful rationale.” The statement concluded with a call for Iran to “reengage on the path of dialogue and cooperation with the Agency.”
The resolution has raised the stakes for Iran’s future cooperation, with the Quad countries warning that continued non-compliance could challenge the credibility of the global nuclear safeguards regime and the IAEA’s verification authority.
