The USA opposes the attempts of Great Britain and France to condemn Iran at the Council of Member States of the IAEA.
According to diplomats, the Biden administration is pressuring European allies to abandon plans to rebuke Iran over its nuclear program. The US seeks to prevent the escalation of tensions in relations with Tehran before the presidential elections in the USA in November.
The United States, in particular, opposes the attempt by Great Britain and France to condemn Iran at the meeting of the Council of Member States of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in early June. The disagreements come amid growing concern among Western officials about Iran’s nuclear activities. According to the IAEA, Iran has enough highly enriched fissile material to produce three nuclear weapons, reports The Wall Street Journal.
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Some US officials say they fear Iran could become more unstable as the country moves to elect a new leader following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi. Long-standing statements from the Biden administration indicate that diplomacy is being pursued to end Iran’s nuclear program.
European diplomats warn that failure to take action will undermine the authority of the IAEA, which monitors the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. They confirm that it also undermines the credibility of Western pressure on Iran. Additionally, they feel that the US is attempting to undermine their strategy, which frustrates them.
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The IAEA Council last adopted a resolution with accusations against Iran in November 2022. Since then, U.S. and European officials in Vienna have repeatedly warned that they would take action if Tehran did not halt its nuclear advances and step up cooperation with the agency.
“The basis of the dispute is the concern of some European countries, in particular France and Great Britain, that Washington does not have a strategy to combat Iran’s nuclear achievements,” the newspaper said.
European diplomats say that the Biden administration doesn’t seem willing to continue serious diplomatic efforts with Iran or resort to punitive actions against Tehran’s nuclear violations. The Biden administration identified restoring the nuclear deal as a major foreign policy goal when it came to power. But the talks collapsed in August 2022 when Iran stepped up its demands. Since then, US officials have been trying to contain tensions with Iran.
“Washington has its own strategy to increase pressure on Iran over its nuclear activities, which includes asking the IAEA to prepare a report outlining everything it knows about Iran’s refusal to cooperate,” writes The Wall Street Journal.
While the report will not have automatic consequences, a similar attempt in 2011 drew international attention to Tehran’s nuclear buildup, creating the impetus for international sanctions against Iran.
In addition to stockpiling highly enriched uranium, Iranian officials claim that Tehran has mastered the process of creating nuclear weapons. And he can overturn Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s ban on weapons of mass destruction.
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