Europeans Urge UN Nuclear Agency to Adopt Resolution Pressuring Iran Over Non-Compliance

Latest Developments

• Europeans Urge Nuclear Watchdog Resolution on Iran: European members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are calling for a new resolution against Iran for its lack of cooperation with the agency ahead of the IAEA Board of Governors meeting next week. The resolution seeks to pressure Iran over its failure to cooperate with the agency’s multi-year investigation into undeclared nuclear activities, restore stronger IAEA monitoring and safeguards, and incentivize Iran to halt provocative nuclear activities, such as its production of highly enriched uranium. 

• Mandate of Comprehensive IAEA Report: The resolution — proposed by France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, with the United States also expected to join — reportedly also mandates the IAEA to issue a “comprehensive report” on Iran’s safeguards violations. This report would be more detailed than the organization’s quarterly reports and would augment political pressure on Tehran to comply with IAEA safeguards obligations.

• Iran Seeks to Evade Pressure: During a meeting with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in Tehran on November 14 — after the European countries called for the resolution and as President-elect Donald Trump promises to reimpose maximum pressure on Iran — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is willing to negotiate with the IAEA but not “under pressure and intimidation.” Iran’s reactions to previous critical resolutions adopted by the IAEA’s 35-member board, including one in November 2022 and another in June of this year, included escalating its nuclear activities and barring IAEA nuclear inspectors.

FDD Expert Response

“The Europeans are preparing for the return of American pressure on Tehran and finally laying the basis to restore UN sanctions against Iran, after having allowed the multilateral sanctions regime to decay. Penalties against Iran’s malfeasance are back — including at the IAEA.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow

“Now is the time to bridge the trans-Atlantic gap on Iran’s nuclear threat. Half measures will not be sufficient to deter Iranian nuclear escalation or obfuscation. By seeing the threat through the same lens of urgency and acting on it together, the West can prevent Tehran from running the same playbook it used from 2018-2020 to evade sanctions pressure.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Fellow

“A comprehensive report detailing all of Iran’s breaches of its nuclear obligations and commitments would provide a helpful evidentiary basis for the IAEA board to refer Iran’s nuclear file to the UN Security Council and for the United States and the E3 to trigger the sanctions snapback mechanism. We haven’t seen the political will to do either of those things in the last four years, but that might change with the incoming U.S. administration.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor

FDD Background and Analysis

“UN Nuclear Watchdog Chief Planning Imminent Visit to Tehran,” FDD Flash Brief

“Deterring Iran’s Dash to the Bomb,” by Orde Kittrie, Bradley Bowman and Behnam Ben Taleblu

“What to Know about Iran’s Nuclear Program,” by Andrea Stricker and Anthony Ruggiero

“IAEA Chief’s Visit to Iran Fails to Sway Tehran on Nuclear Cooperation,” FDD Flash Brief