IAEA passes P5+1 draft resolution, closes Iran ‘PMD’ case

The governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency has overwhelmingly voted in favor of a draft resolution which brings an end to a 12-year investigation into the past and present outstanding issues regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

During its meeting in its headquarters in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Tuesday, the 35-nation body passed the draft resolution by consensus. The resolution had been submitted by the P5+1 group of countries on December 7 on Iran’s past nuclear activities.

The approved resolution said the investigation was “implemented in accordance with the agreed schedule” and that this “closes the board’s consideration of the matter.”

Following the vote, the IAEA chief, Yukiya Amano, told reporters that Iran has been implementing restrictions on its nuclear activities at “high speed.”

“We understand that Iran is undertaking the preparatory steps at quite high speed,” he told reporters.

He added that the UN nuclear body would need time to verify those steps.

“Not days, not months, weeks’ time for us,” said Amano.

The governing board’s decision to close the so-called possible military dimensions (PMD) in Iran’s nuclear program will remove a major obstacle to implementing a landmark agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries , dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in July.

Under the JCPOA, limits are put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related economic and financial bans against the Islamic Republic.