TEHRAN - Leading nations of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Tuesday approved a resolution that ends a decade-long probe of allegations that Iran worked on atomic arms.

The probe had to be formally closed as part of an Iran-5+1 nuclear deal restricting present Iranian nuclear programs in exchange for sanctions relief for Tehran.

The move by the 35-nation Board of Governors of the IAEA comes after last month’s IAEA assertion that Iran had not been taking considerable steps toward making military use of its nuclear technology.

Iran’s Ambassador to the IAEA Reza Najafi called the moment of approving the resolution “historic”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed passing the resolution, saying that the resolution has gone far beyond closing the PMD issue.

It actually ended the past 12 resolutions of the IAEA Board of Governors against Iran, the chief diplomat noted.

“The fake issue of possible so-called military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program has become history now,” Zarif stressed.

“The Agency has no credible indications of activities in Iran relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device after 2009. Nor has the Agency found any credible indications of the diversion of nuclear material in connection with the possible military dimensions (PMD) to Iran’s nuclear program,” IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in his introductory statement to the Board of Governors in Vienna, Austria.

He claimed that some activities had been carried out in Iran to develop a nuclear explosive device before and after 2003; however, the IAEA “assesses that these activities did not advance beyond feasibility and scientific studies, and the acquisition of certain relevant technical competences and capabilities.”

Amano emphasized that his latest report entitled Final Assessment on Past and Present Outstanding Issues regarding Iran’s Nuclear Program was “factual, technically sound and balanced.”

Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), called the closure of the PMD file a “great achievement” for Iran.

SP/PA

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Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said, “The fake issue of possible so-called military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program has become history now.”


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Amano emphasized that his latest report on Iran’s nuclear program was “factual, technically sound and balanced.”