TEHRAN – Iran has denounced the approval of the censure resolution drafted by the United States and its European allies at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors. 

In a statement on Thursday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran deplores the approval of a resolution drafted by the U.S., Britain, France and Germany at the IAEA Board of Governors as a political, wrong and unconstructive move.”

The statement came after the UN nuclear watchdog’s 35-nation Board of Governors adopted the resolution against Iran which mustered support from 30 member states. The resolution was opposed by Russia and China while the three remaining countries – Pakistan, India, and Libya – abstained from voting.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran showed goodwill in its interaction with the Agency by providing it with accurate technical information as per the March 5, 2022, joint statement of the two sides. It was expected that the IAEA, with an independent, neutral and professional approach, would act constructively and realistically to normalize safeguards issues which, as admitted by the Agency itself, were not a source of nuclear non-proliferation concerns,” the statement added. 

It noted, “It seems that some people have forgotten that the case of past issues was closed once and for all by the IAEA Board of Governors on December 15, 2015. The Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in constructive cooperation with the IAEA over the past years and the fact that the Agency has carried out a considerable part of its inspections worldwide in Iran is proof of this to the extent that Iran currently has one of the most transparent peaceful nuclear programs among the IAEA members.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry also accused the IAEA of falling under the influence of Israel.

“The approval of the foregoing resolution happened based on a hasty and unbalanced report by the IAEA director general and also on fake information from the Zionist regime. So the passing of the resolution will have no effect but the weakening of the trend of cooperation and interaction of the Islamic Republic of Iran with the IAEA,” the statement said. 

It concluded, “Just as it was declared earlier, due to the Agency’s unconstructive approach and the approval of the resolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran has taken some practical steps in retaliation including the installation of advanced centrifuges and the removal of cameras that are beyond Safeguards agreement.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the U.S. and its European allies have undermined the credibility of the IAEA with their shortsighted agenda. 

“US-E3 put their shortsighted agenda ahead of IAEA's credibility by pushing a miscalculated & ill-advised Res. against a country w/ the world's most transparent peaceful nuclear program. The initiators are responsible for the consequences. Iran's response is firm & proportionate,” Khatibzadeh said on Twitter. 

Iran took a number of retaliatory steps in response to the resolution. It turned off the IAEA surveillance cameras installed at Iran’s nuclear facilities and started spinning new advanced centrifuges.