ISIS has the IAEA Report on Technical Cooperation with Iran (Cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Agency in light of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1737(2006), GOV/2007/7.)
I blogged about the forthcoming report a week or so ago—Mark Hibbs reported that some members of the Board of Governors wanted “historical information on past TC programs in Iran in order to establish whether Iran has abused these programs to further nuclear development activities …”
This report doesn’t do that, but rather propose canceling or modifying a number of national, regional and interregional projects involving Iran pursuant to UNSC 1737 (2006):
| Recommendation | National | Regional | Interregional |
|---|---|---|---|
| May Proceed (Y) | 11 | 20 | 2 |
| Case-by Case Screening (CC) | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| May Not Proceed (N) | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Total | 15 | 34 | 6 |
The one really interesting thing I noticed is this: Remember the compromise where the IAEA did not approve some of Tehran’s request for Technical Cooperation? Let me refresh your memory:
A few weeks ago, Iran asked the IAEA for technical cooperation to improve safety at the [Arak heavy-water] reactor, which Iran claims will be completed in 2009. … Anyway, it now looks like the IAEA will not approve technical cooperation:
“The diplomats, all participants in a committee meeting at the agency, which is the United Nations’ nuclear monitor, said the tentative agreement was for approval of Tehran’s requests for agency aid on seven other nuclear projects, but refusal of its call for help in building the plutonium-producing reactor at Arak.”
Seven, right? Well, according to the IAEA document, the IAEA approved only six TC projects: IRA0007, IRA2008, IRA3006, IRA4036, IRA4037, and IRA9018.*
So which one got dropped? Why?
*May not proceed in red; IRA0007 is case-by-case.
In 1983 the US stopped IAEA technical cooperation in helping Iran make UF6 and nixed Iranian contracts with several other countries including China. Iran clandestinely went to Pakistan instead, and rightfully so. If the US insists on cutting TC to Arak even though there is absolutely no evidence of a nuclear weapons program in Iran as the IAEA itself has stated, then frankly Iran is justified in seeking assistance elsewhere.