IAEA Must Maintain Confidentiality of Information: Iran’s Envoy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s ambassador to international organizations in Vienna called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure confidentiality of safeguards information after a report by the UN nuclear watchdog on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility was leaked to the media.
In a post on his twitter account on Friday, Kazem Gharibabadi deplored the leakage of confidential information after Reuters said it has obtained an IAEA report about Iran’s plans to install three more cascades, or clusters, of advanced IR-2m centrifuges in the enrichment plant in Natanz.
“IAEA confidential report, based on Iran's confidential letter, appeared in Media immediately even before the Board of Governors Members could track it down,” Gharibabadi said.
“Agency is not merely responsible to update the development, but shall ensure confidentiality of safeguards information,” the Iranian ambassador underlined.
“If neither the Agency nor its Member States are to be blamed for this crack in confidentiality, IAEA should revise its confidentiality mechanisms including regarding using GovAtom as the safe and confidential means for communications,” he said.
GovAtom is a service provided by the IAEA to its Member State representatives. It provides them with online documentation on the work of the Board of Governors and its Committees, Press TV reported.
Additionally on Friday, Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov criticized the leaking of the confidential IAEA report on Iran.
“Yet another confidential IAEA report on Iran was leaked to mass media immediately upon its circulation in Board of Governors. The Ambassador of Iran in his Twitter account has already reacted by suggesting to strengthen mechanisms of confidentiality. Good idea but will it help?” he asked.
