Backgrounder: Key points of IAEA resoluton on Iran's nuclear isssue

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors adopted a resolution on Saturday accusing Iran of breaching the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Safeguards Agreement, threatening to refer Iran's case to the UN Security Council at an unspecified time.

Following are the key points of the EU-proposed resolution which was approved by a 22-1 vote, with 12 abstentions.

The IAEA Board of Governors:

Finds that Iran's many failures and breaches of its obligations to comply with its NPT Safeguards Agreement ... constitute non-compliance in the context of Article XII.C of the agency's statute.

Finds also that the history of concealment of Iran's nuclear activities referred to in the report of the Director General (Mohamed ElBaradei), the nature of these activities, issues brought to light in the course of the agency's verification of declarations made by Iran since September 2002 and the resulting absence of confidence that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes have given rise to questions that are within the competence of the Security Council, as the organ bearing the main responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

In order to help the director general to resolve outstanding questions and provide the necessary assurances, the board urges Iran:

-- To implement transparency measures, as requested by the director general in his report, which extend beyond the formal requirements of the Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, and include access to individuals, documentation relating to procurement, dual-use equipment, certain military-owned workshops and research and development locations;

-- To re-establish full and sustained suspension of all (uranium) enrichment related activity ... and (plutonium) reprocessing activity

-- To reconsider the construction of a research reactor moderated by heavy water.

The board also calls on Iran to observe fully its commitments and to return to the negotiating process that has made good progress in the last two years.

Source: Xinhua