UN closes the books on decade-long nuclear probe of Iran

Chief Iranian delegate Reza Najafi on Tuesday denied such work, in keeping with his country’s constant line during the protracted probe. In terms of ongoing IAEA reports, the Iran file will change from a nuclear proliferation case to updates on the July deal as soon as Tehran has fulfilled its promises, which it expects to have done in January, allowing for sanctions relief.

Amano hailed the “very important milestone”.

The panel said it has not yet investigated a subsequent Iranian ballistic missile launch reported by the media on November 21 and therefore “cannot determine whether it was another Emad test”. “We can not be complacent”.

Instead, the IAEA chose to pursue implementation of the nuclear deal reached over the summer, which seeks to limit Tehran’s nuclear activity to peaceful purposes.

The 10 October launch was the first test of a ballistic surface-to-surface missile after Iran and six world powers reached a landmark nuclear deal on 14 July.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement welcoming the decision to close the investigation into whether Iran once had a secret nuclear weapons program.

Under the deal, Iran pledged to slash the number of centrifuges – which enrich uranium – from around 19,000 to 6,104, of which 5,060 will still enrich. Amano said however that the IAEA would still need “some weeks” to verify and confirm that Iran has met its initial commitments. Refraining from previous critical language, the European Union said only “we note” the agency conclusion.

Harking back to standard language from Washington, he said the United Nations agency’s assessment was not surprising, considering “Iran’s long history of concealment, denial and deception”.

Once the deal takes effect, Iran will still be “called upon” not to undertake any ballistic missiles work created to deliver nuclear weapons for a period of up to eight years, according to a Security Council resolution adopted in July right after the nuclear deal.

A report issued by the United Nations panel supported the contention by the four countries that the launch violated U.N. sanctions. The IAEA had “no credible indications of activities in Iran relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device after 2009”.

The launching of ballistic missiles is prohibited in a provision of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1929. But they said Russian Federation and China, which dislike the sanctions on Iran’s missile program, might block any such moves.

Iran took a crucial step towards ending its confrontation with the West on Tuesday when America and its allies agreed to close an inquiry into the “possible military dimension” of Tehran’s nuclear programme. Israel and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee criticized the decision.