Date: Thursday, November 7, 2019
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer, Director

Iranian Intransigence

Massimo Aparo, the top inspector at the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned world leaders yesterday that Iran continues to stonewall the IAEA's investigation of an alleged "carpet factory" just outside of Tehran where international inspectors discovered uranium particles.

In addition, there are reports that Iran detained an inspector and seized her travel documents when she attempted to gain access to the Natanz nuclear facility.

According to Bloomberg News, the IAEA is "convening an extraordinary meeting of the 35-member board of governors today to discuss the new concerns." The site in question is the location of Iran's secret nuclear archive that Israel exposed earlier this year.

The IAEA noted in September that Iran was refusing to explain the source of the uranium at the "carpet factory." Not surprisingly, the regime's intransigence continues, and that speaks volumes. No one should be surprised by this given Iran's history of cheating on past agreements.

U.S. Ambassador Jackie Wolcott addressed today's "extraordinary" and "unprecedented" IAEA Board of Governors meeting. Below are some excerpts of her remarks:

"This is an emergency, unplanned meeting of the Board to inform us . . . that Iran is not cooperating adequately on crucial aspects of its safeguards obligations . . . and that the circumstances are so critical that it was necessary to convene and alert us in this way. . .

"These updates paint a deeply troubling picture of Iran's safeguards-related interactions with the Agency. Time was of the essence in September; now that time is up. . . The Board has a responsibility to respond . . . and without further Iranian delay. . .

"Iran must comply fully with its nuclear safeguards obligations, and must immediately provide the IAEA nothing short of full and immediate cooperation regarding this unexplained nuclear material. Any further delay, denial, or deception by Iran that inhibits the IAEA's essential nuclear safeguards verification work in Iran is completely unacceptable. . .

"The detention of an IAEA inspector in Iran is an outrageous provocation. . . such actions are completely unacceptable, will not be tolerated, and must have consequences. . . If the Iranian regime thinks it can test the international community's resolve on this issue, then we assure you the United States will not waver."