Iran has a complicated relationship with the IAEA, with the IAEA apparently more interested in appearing tough by being unhappy with Iran than in giving the nation credit when they offer details they weren’t legally obliged to.
The latest example was last month, when Iran turned over documents meant to explain trace uranium particles found at undeclared sites inside Iran. This was intended to settle a matter which was not considered a proliferation risk, but which — at US behest — the IAEA kept bringing up.
IAEA officials are now accusing Iran of dragging its feet in turning over the data, saying Iran is not forthcoming and that they remain “extremely concerned” about the issue.
This reaction is probably ill-considered given the context. The Iranians were openly resistant to giving more and more access, on the grounds that the IAEA is never satisfied anyhow, and that extraneous visits tend to be used by certain Western nations for intelligence gathering. At times this led to Iran ignore requests for more information, reasoning that the IAEA wouldn’t accept the story anyhow.
Iran’s data offer came amid nuclear talks and trying to improve the negotiating environment. Now, with the US seemingly walking away from the deal, the IAEA reveals they still aren’t happy with Iran’s explanation, likely to inform them on future data sharing requests.
Iran should kick out IAEA spy inspectors out of country…!
The government of Iran has learned one fundamental fact from the overthrow of the Shah. The head of its government must not only be a Muslim but must also not be controlled by outside, especially European and US, forces. The IAEA which kowtows increasingly to our governments, is such a force in the eyes of the people of Iran, similar to the numerous British commissions who investigated the Middle East during and after WW1.