IAEA abstention on Iran in line with India’s Russia, non-alignment policy

India was one of only three countries, other than Pakistan and Libya who abstained from the resolution criticising Iran for flouting IAEA requests

As Iran’s government went into collision course with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), India’s abstention vote during an IAEA board of governors meeting this week is being seen as a significant show of support for Tehran, and a reassertion of its “non-aligned” stance as seen on its policy on Russia and the war in Ukraine.

On Wednesday, India was one of only three countries, other than Pakistan and Libya who abstained from the resolution criticising Iran for flouting IAEA requests for inspections of its nuclear programme and other processes. Of the 35-nation Board of Governors of the IAEA, 30 countries voted for the resolution brought by US and “E-3” nations U.K., Germany and France, while Russia and China voted against it.

The vote took place on Wednesday, even as Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian began an official visit to India, meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. While the Ministry of External Affairs did not mention their talks on the IAEA meeting and resolution explicitly, an official statement released on Wednesday night said that Mr. Abdollahian “briefed the External Affairs Minister on the current situation pertaining to the JCPOA,” referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on nuclear issues agreed to by Iran in 2015, which the U.S. walked out of in 2019. Since the US walk out, talks on the JCPOA have flagged, and the nuclear watchdog body, the IAEA has complained about Iran restricting access to its personnel.

On Tuesday, in a report he presented after visiting Iran, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told the Board that the IAEA had last verified and monitored the implementation of Iran’s nuclear commitments under the JCPOA.

“However, since that date, these activities have been seriously affected by Iran’s decision to stop the implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA, including the Additional Protocol,” Mr. Gross said, in remarks that led to the resolution which criticises Tehran for not cooperating, particularly over allegations that uranium traces were found at undeclared sites.

The Iranian government led by President Ebrahim Raisi denied the charges, saying it has “no hidden or undocumented nuclear activities or undisclosed sites,” and accusing the IAEA for being “ungrateful” for its cooperation, which it says it continued even after the US Trump administration reneged on its commitments to lift sanctions and walked out of the JCPOA deal the previous US Obama government had signed. On Wednesday, Iran also began to dismantle some cameras placed by the IAEA for monitoring nuclear work as well, which raised concerns over future data collection.

“You think we would retreat from our positions if you pass a resolution at the (IAEA) Board of Governors? In the name of God and the great nation of Iran, we will not back off a single step from our positions,” Mr. Raisi said in a speech, as Iran’s atomic agency informed the IAEA that Iran planned remove equipment including 27 cameras placed by the IAEA after the 2015 agreement on the JCPOA, in addition to those already in place.