UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should be able to conduct inspections of civilian, as well as military sites in Iran, to verify the country’s compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said in a press release on Thursday.
"Iranian officials have already said they will refuse to allow inspections at military sites, even though the IAEA says there must be no distinction between military and non-military sites," Haley stated. "Now it appears that some countries are attempting to shield Iran from even more inspections. Without inspections, the Iran deal is an empty promise."
Haley said her statement come in response to media reports that Russia believes inspections and verifications of the nuclear agreement’s "Section T," which prohibits activities that can contribute to the design and development of a nuclear explosive device, are outside of IAEA’s mandate.
On Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov characterized as strange the US claims that Russia is trying to weaken the IAEA. Ryabkov categorically denied the claims saying that Moscow seeks the IAEA to continue acting within the existing rules and be immune to external influence.
The 2015 nuclear agreement dubbed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was concluded between Iran and the P5+1 countries comprising the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom plus Germany.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed opposition to the nuclear deal. During his speech at the UN General Assembly Session earlier this month, Trump characterized the agreement as one of the worst deals the United States had ever signed and added that Iran has been pursuing destructive policies that undermine peace.
