Iran has most transparent nuclear program among IAEA members: Envoy

Iran’s nuclear energy program is one of the most transparent among those run by the member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and has been subject to the largest number of inspections by the Agency, says the Iranian permanent ambassador to international organizations in Vienna.

“Iran is the most transparent country in terms of its nuclear activities. We have been subjected to one-fifth of the IAEA’s total inspections in the world,” Kazem Gharibabadi said in an exclusive interview with an Iranian news website the text of which was published on Sunday.

According to Press TV, asked about a recent statement by the European signatories to the nuclear deal of 2015 between Iran and six world powers, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran’s ambassador said following the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the agreement, the European parties to the deal only regretted Washington’s decision, but have continued to express concern about Iran’s reducing its commitments in a tit-for-tat measure.

In a Thursday joint statement, the three European signatories to the nuclear agreement reiterated their commitment to the preservation and full implementation of the JCPOA. “We E3 have worked hard to preserve the agreement. We have been consistently clear that we regret the US withdrawal from the JCPOA and re-imposition of US sanctions.”

The statement read, “We remain committed to working with all JCPOA participants to find a diplomatic way forward and we intend to pursue these discussions within the framework of the JCPOA.”

Elsewhere in his interview, Gharibabadi said the Europeans only suffice to impractical and verbal stances with regard to Washington’s withdrawal from the JCPOA, but when it comes to Iran, they express serious concern over Tehran’s retaliatory steps.

“The Europeans have in practice taken no specific practical move over the past two and a half years to fulfill their obligations regarding the lifting of sanctions and [the expansion of] peaceful nuclear cooperation with Iran.”

He said the lifting of sanctions on paper has not been the objective of the JCPOA.

“In addition to the lifting of sanctions, another objective pursued by the JCPOA was the outcome of the lifting of sanctions, meaning that Iran must see that outcome in practice.”

ME