Implement nuclear deal jointly with P5+1: FM

The International Atomic Energy Agency on Tuesday officially closed its probe into Iran’s past nuclear activity after roughly a decade of of investigation, meaning the full extent of the Islamic Republic’s former nuclear ambitions may never be known.

“The U.N. experts based their findings on reports in Iranian media, comments by Iranian officials and information provided by member states”, the Wall Street Journal notes.

Amano emphasized that his latest report entitled Final Assessment on Past and Present Outstanding Issues regarding Iran’s Nuclear Program was “factual, technically sound and balanced”. “Iran has said that any new sanctions would jeopardize the nuclear deal but if Washington failed to call for sanctions over the [missile] launch it would likely be perceived as weakness”.

The U.N. report, dated December 11, says the Emad missile had a range of at least 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and up to 1,300 kilometers, a payload of at least 1000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) and up to 1,400 kilograms, and it was a launch “using ballistic missile technology”, according to AFP.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed the IAEA decision.

The question of how the IAEA’s additional activities in Iran under the JCPOA must also be addressed, Amano told the board.

“Now that it is absolutely verified that Iran has violated U.N. Security Council Resolution 1929, it is incumbent upon the U.N. Security Council to enforce it”, said Senator Corker. Several economic restrictions were placed on Iran after allegations of development of nuclear weapons were made against Iran.

The organization said the agency’s decision to move on means it is “acquiescing to an incomplete accounting of Iran’s past nuclear weapons activity” and in doing so “weakens the credibility of its institution and lessens the prospect that Iran will comply with the [nuclear deal] in the future”.

Under the July nuclear deal, most sanctions on Iran will be lifted when its provisions are implemented in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

The UN nuclear watchdog’s 35-nation board decided on Tuesday to close its investigation into whether Iran once had a nuclear weapons programme, opting to support Tehran’s deal with major powers rather than dwell on its past activities.

Iran violated a U.N. Security Council resolution with its October test of a ballistic missile that had a nuclear capability, sanctions monitors said.

Security Council resolution 1929 was created in 2010 and bans Iran from engaging in ballistic missile tests. “Considerable effort was required in order to reach this agreement”. The panel’s report also calls for action against Tehran. It was the first test of a ballistic surface-to-surface missile after the landmark nuclear deal on July 14.

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”.