IAEA Decides to Close Nuclear Weapons Probe of Iran

“Removing sanctions makes it much harder because we’re losing leverage to get Iran to comply”, he said.

That five-month probe concluded that Iran had a nuclear-weapons-related program until 2003 and then continued some of those activities as late as 2009.

In July Iran and a group of six countries China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom and United States reached a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to resolve the nuclear issue, entrusting the IAEA with verifying and monitoring Irans commitments. Iran will also have to seek permission to import so-called dual-use goods, which could be used in an illicit nuclear program.

Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Coons, a member of the foreign relations panel who backed the Iran nuclear deal, said it was up to the Security Council to act, but if it did not, the United States should, including by imposing direct sanctions on Iranians responsible for the missile tests. The agency head also said the IAEA had not “found any credible indications of the diversion of nuclear material in connection with the possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear program”.

The world’s nuclear watchdog on Tuesday announced the end of its investigation into Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons program.

INU- Iran’s ballistic missile tests have remained a hot topic since its November test was publicly revealed early last week.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), one of the most vehement opponents to this summer’s Iran nuclear agreement, wrote in a statement that it “deplores the vote” by the IAEA’s board, complaining that “the IAEA is closing this file even after discovering further suspicious evidence and experiencing additional Iranian obstinacy”.

Iran has said any new sanctions would jeopardize the nuclear deal.

IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano, however, said his bureau would subsequently need weeks to check that all the necessary measures, such as the removal of centrifuges that purify uranium as well as the decrease of Iran’s enriched-uranium stockpile, had been taken.

At the same time, US chief IAEA delegate Henry S. Ensher said the United Nations agency’s assessment wasn’t surprising, considering “Iran’s long history of concealment, denial and deception”.

“Instead of an effective, timely response the Security Council has dithered”, she told a council meeting considering a report from the Iran sanctions committee. The agreement bars Iran from developing missiles “designed to carry nuclear warheads”. Beyond the IAEA board, however, some have argued that a full examination of Iran’s past violations of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations has been sacrificed for the sake of the political agreement clinched in Vienna in July.

Meanwhile, Iranian nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said he believes that economic sanctions against Tehran could be lifted within the next three weeks, following the decision made by the IAEA. “A similar and sustained effort will be required to implement it”, Amano said in his official statement to the press.