They think that the monitoring process is inadequate; that Iran will cheat and find ways to continue nuclear research; and that at least a few of the $100 billion of released assets will be used to buy conventional weapons and to foment more chaos in the Middle East and elsewhere.
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A multilateral deal was reached in July and sanctions imposed by the United States, European Union and United Nations will be lifted in return for Iran’s consent to long-term restrictions on the nuclear program.
It was partly on the basis of that supposed self-inspection that the IAEA now claims to have received sufficient response from Iran on the probe’s points of inquiry, just in time for the Thursday deadline.
The plan included Iran providing the IAEA with information by August 15, which happened on schedule although the IAEA said that there remained “ambiguities” to be resolved.
Nonetheless, Netanyahu was invited earlier this year to speak before the US Congress on this exact issue, in what many believe was a Republican attempt to sabotage President Barack Obama’s efforts to reach a peaceful deal with Iran.
The investigation is now due to move into a phase in which the agency assesses the materials provided by Iran, including environmental samples at the Parchin military site, which IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano visited last month.
The Security Council resolution adopted a few days after the nuclear agreement bars Iran from developing missiles “designed to carry nuclear warheads”.
A Senior Council of officials and Clerics in the Islamic Republic have approved the implementation of the landmark deal with six world powers over Tehran’s nuclear program.
The Guardian Council’s vote, although apparently not unanimous, marks a major victory for the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani, which has campaigned on easing tensions with the West.
Iran announced Sunday it had successfully tested a new domestically produced long-range missile, which it said was the first that could be guided all the way to targets.
The United States said on Tuesday it would raise the matter at the Security Council.
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The Iran nuclear deal was reported as accepted by many Western news outlets, but the pact was instead amended by the Iranian Government.
