FM Zarif Hails Closure of Iran’s PMD Case
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday welcomed the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) approval of a draft resolution which has closed a case on the so-called possible military dimensions (PMD) in Tehran’s nuclear program.
The passing of the resolution opens a new chapter on Iran’s nuclear case and Tehran’s collaborations with the IAEA, Zarif said.
The UN watchdog’s Board of Governors unanimously approved the resolution in a meeting in Vienna on Tuesday.
It will make it possible to actually close Tehran’s nuclear dossier and begin the implementation phase of a lasting nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was finalized between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) in July.
“Finally, after 12 years, the Board of Governors acknowledged the competition of the Road-map (signed between) Iran and the IAEA and announced the closure of PMD using the unambiguous phrase ‘close consideration’,” Iran’s top diplomat said.
This resolution goes far beyond closing the so-called PMD case and officially annuls the past 12 resolutions of the Board of Governors on Iran’s nuclear program that included allegations and imposed serious restrictions of the country’s nuclear program, Zarif added.
“Based on this resolution, it can be said unequivocally that the fake issue of so-called military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program, known as PMD, now belongs to history,” he stated.
He underlined that based on this resolution and IAEA Secretary General Yukiya Amano’s recent report to the Board of Governors, the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities has been proved once again.
Zarif added that the Islamic Republic of Iran once again stresses its persistent policy that obtaining weapons of mass destruction is Haram (religiously forbidden) and underscored the country’s commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Iran announces its readiness to fully implement its obligations under the JCPOA with good will, provided that members of the Group 5+1 remain committed to their obligations, he went on to say.
