International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)-IRAN Nuclear Deal-JCPOA

• Be N By IAS, Delhi
• 23, Feb 2021

For: GS-2: International Relations

CONTEXT:

• The head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog met with Iranian officials in a bid to preserve his inspectors' ability to monitor Tehran's atomic program, even as Iranian authorities said they planned to cut off IAEA’s surveillance cameras at those sites.

NEWS IN DETAILS:

• Return to JCPOA: Iran tries to pressure Europe and the new Biden administration into returning to the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA), which ex-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from in 2018.
• Camera Shut off: Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who under President Hassan Rouhani helped reach the nuclear deal, said the cameras of the International Atomic Energy Agency would be shut off despite Grossi's visit to follow a law passed by parliament.
• The Vienna-based IAEA said the visit was aimed at finding "a mutually agreeable solution for the IAEA to continue essential verification activities in the country."

IRAN’S PARLIAMENT LAW:

• Iran's parliament in December approved a bill that would suspend part of UN inspections of its nuclear facilities
  • If European signatories do not provide relief from oil and banking sanctions by Tuesday
• Deadline or Ultimatum to the World: Zarif told "This is not a deadline for the world. This is not an ultimatum." "This is an internal domestic issue.
  • "We have a democracy. We are supposed to implement the laws of the country. And the parliament adopted legislation- whether we like it or not."

ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL:

• Under the protocol, the IAEA "collects and analyzes hundreds of thousands of images captured daily by its surveillance cameras."
  • It had placed "2,000 tamper-proof seals on nuclear material and equipment."
• Iran planned to do when it stopped following the so called 'Additional Protocol,' a confidential agreement between Tehran and the IAEA reached as part of the nuclear deal. The IAEA has additional protocols with a number of countries it monitors.
  • Zarif said-"The IAEA certainly will not get footage from those cameras,"

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA):

• It was established as the world’s “Atoms for Peace” organization within the United Nations.
• Year: in 1957
• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
• IAEA is a UN agency.
• Members: 171, Latest- Saint Lucia (2019), India joined in 1957
• Though established independently of the UN through its own international treaty, the IAEA reports to both:
  • UN General Assembly and
  • UN Security Council
• Functions:
  • To promote the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies.
  • Seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons.

SOURCE: Times of India

MCQs:

Q. Consider the following statements International Atomic Energy Agency.

1. It was established as the world’s “Atoms for Peace” organization.
2. India became member of it in 2003.
3. It reports to only UN General Assembly and not UN Security Council.

Which of the above statements is/are Not Correct?

• a) 1 and 2 Only
• b) 1 Only
• c) 2 and 3 Only
• d) 1 and 3 Only

ANS: C