IAEA passes resolution pressing Iran for access and answers

The U.N. nuclear watchdog's 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution on Thursday saying Iran must inform the watchdog "without delay" of the status of its enriched uranium stock and bombed atomic sites, diplomats at the closed-door meeting said.

1news.media citing Reuters, reports that the resolution's purpose was primarily to renew and adjust the International Atomic Energy Agency's mandate to report on aspects of Iran's nuclear programme, but it also stated Iran must quickly provide the IAEA with the answers and access it wants, five months after military strikes by Israel and the U.S.

Iran, which says its nuclear aims are entirely peaceful, warned before the United States and Europe's top three powers submitted this resolution that if it passed, it would "adversely affect" Tehran's cooperation with the agency.

"Iran must ... provide the Agency without delay with precise information on nuclear material accountancy and safeguarded nuclear facilities in Iran, and grant the Agency all access it requires to verify this information," the draft resolution text submitted to the board and seen by Reuters said.

The resolution passed with 19 votes in favour, three against and 12 abstentions, diplomats said. Russia, China and Niger were the countries that opposed it.