Tehran deceives the international community by concealing nuclear activities it undertakes to maintain its nuclear weapons program, Israel Atomic Energy Commission Director General Zeev Snir said on Wednesday
VIENNA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th September, 2019) Tehran deceives the international community by concealing nuclear activities it undertakes to maintain its nuclear weapons program, Israel Atomic Energy Commission Director General Zeev Snir said on Wednesday.The statement was made at the 63rd annual General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - the watchdog that monitors and verifies Iran's implementation of its commitments under the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Addressing the session, Snir accused Iran of attempting "to shift the focus of this forum with the goal of destructing the agency and impeding its important work."
"The information revealed by Israel in the nuclear archive clearly proves that Iran continues activities related to the development of a military weapons program. These activities included the protection, preservation and massive concealment of capabilities, information and undeclared activities ... Iran's active attempts to conceal and remove nuclear materials and equipment from its secretive sites undermine the agency's ability to conduct effective verification missions," Snir said.
He went on to claim that those undeclared activities were not of civilian nature, arguing that Iran's nuclear weapons program "existed, is being maintained and can be restored in the future."
"Let me be clear, the JCPOA cannot and will not prevent this. Iran continues to deceive the international community while failing to provide clear and honest information regarding its nuclear program as part of the CSA [comprehensive safeguards agreement] and safeguard commitments," Snir argued.
In addition, Iran is making a "blatant attempt to extort the international community" by rolling back its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA, according to the official.
"Iran's method of deception and concealment emphasizes the need for greater vigilance and support of the IAEA in its important activities," Snir concluded.
The global nuclear watchdog had been consistently confirming Iran's compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal until Tehran announced its decision to start gradually reducing its nuclear obligations on the first anniversary of the US unilateral pullout from the accord in May.
While constantly pointing fingers at Iran, Israel itself is believed to have acquired an operational nuclear weapons capability back in the 1960s, though the country is not a party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
