The top House Republican on foreign policy says the Obama administration is trying to “whitewash” Iran’s history of nuclear bomb research by pressuring the U.N.’s atomic watchdog agency to formally end its probe into the “possible military dimensions” of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear activities.
“Vital U.S. national security interests are at risk,” says Rep. Ed Royce, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “The Obama administration must confront Iran’s dangerous acts and lead our allies and partners in pressing to get the full details about its past nuclear work — not whitewash it.”
The State Department confirmed on Friday that the administration stands behind a draft resolution calling for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to end its investigation into Iran’s potentially militarized nuclear activities.
Officials said the resolution was submitted by the P5+1 — the group world powers that negotiated last summer’s nuclear deal with Iran — to the Board of Governors of the IAEA, the U.N. agency tasked with implementing the accord, which is known in diplomatic-speak as the “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPAO).”
The IAEA board is expected to vote on the resolution when it “meets on December 15 with a view toward closing the [potential military dimensions] issue and instead focusing on implementation of the JCPAO,” one State Department official said on condition of anonymity Friday.
The issue of how deeply the IAEA would probe into the potential military dimensions of Iran’s program — as well as into Iran’s past nuclear research activities in generally — was a sticking point during negotiations toward the nuclear accord reached in July. The accord aims to curb Iran’s nuclear programs and open them to close outside inspection in exchange for a broad easing of international sanctions on Tehran.
The resolution to stop examining the the potential military dimensions issue “reflects the consensus” of the P5+1 nations — the U.S., Britain, Germany, France, Russia, China — and the European Union — on the “way forward,” said the official, who made the assertion in an email to The Times. “As we’ve always said, the JCPOA is and has always been about the future.”
Deputy State Department Mark Toner had previously referenced the existence of the draft resolution during a news briefing with reporters on Dec. 2. However, the development was not reported in the English-language media at the time.
In a statement issued on Thursday night, Mr. Royce cited Iranian news reports about the draft resolution and expressed outrage.
“I sincerely hope [these reports are] false,” said the California Republican, whose staff added on Friday that State Department officials had yet to confirm news of the resolution to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr. Royce, meanwhile, lamented that the IAEA’s own latest report had “confirmed [that] Iran lied about its secret work to build a nuclear weapon.”
The report, which the IAEA submitted to its Board of Governors on Dec. 2, outlined how Iranian officials had been actively designing a nuclear weapon until 2009, according to The New York Times, which noted how the timeframe was more recent than U.S. and other intelligence agencies have publicly acknowledged.
Mr. Royce asserted that “key questions remain unanswered” about Tehran’s activities. “How close did the regime get to assembling a nuclear bomb? What happened to all the materials, research and expertise Iran acquired?” he said.
“Just this week, we learned Iran carried out another test on a ballistic missile — the delivery vehicle for a nuclear warhead — in violation of at least two U.N. resolutions,” the congressman added. “Rushing to close this investigation into Iran’s past work, with a resolution that Congress and the American people have not seen, will demonstrate to Iran that there are no consequences for its continued obstruction and aggression.”
• Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.
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