In comments on Saturday, Mohammad Eslami said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has taken a course contrary to its responsibilities toward Iran under the influence of the US and the Zionist regime, while double standards on nuclear weapons have undermined international law and the credibility of the international system.
Referring to the Iranian president’s remark that “the bomb is in Israel, while the inspectors are in Iran,” Eslami said the statement laid bare the contradictions in the international approach to nuclear issues. He argued that double standards and criminal conduct have damaged the UN Charter and led to international laws being disregarded and violated.
Eslami said the international legal framework established after World War II has been largely paralyzed by US unilateralism and excessive demands. Washington, he added, has withdrawn from international organizations and cooperative arrangements whenever they failed to serve its interests, seeking to impose its preferred unipolar world order.
Eslami stressed that peaceful nuclear energy belongs to all nations and that, under international law and the IAEA’s regulations, the agency is responsible for encouraging, facilitating and supporting equitable access to this technology.
He said the IAEA has failed for years to fulfill that responsibility toward Iran and has instead pursued policies aimed at slowing the country’s progress under US and Israeli pressure.
Despite the maximum-pressure campaign, Eslami stated, Iran has observed the agency’s regulations while accelerating its nuclear development and establishing itself as one of the leading countries in the field.