MOSCOW, November 19 (Itar-Tass) —— The International Atomic Energy Agency’s resolution on Iran confirms the determination of the international community to look for and find a comprehensive negotiated solution, sources at the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The IAEA Board of Governors at its regular meeting in Vienna on Friday adopted by a 32-majority vote (with two ‘nays’ and one abstention) a resolution on Iran’s nuclear program.
“It is a document of a new type, laying a firm basis, as we hope, for the solution of problems related to this program,” the Foreign Ministry said. “We are certain that such an evaluation is shared by an overwhelming majority of the international community. This is seen in the result of the voting.”
Russia, the Foreign Ministry recalled, had been among the co-authors of the resolution and, naturally, it voted for it.
“Anything different was impossible, bearing in mind the well-worded and polished text of the resolution, aimed at not condemning somebody, but at continuing the dialogue and lifting tensions some were trying to fan lately in connection with Iran’s activity in the nuclear sphere,” the Foreign Ministry said.
Moscow does not deny the seriousness of the existing problems, related with the restoration of confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program.
“We share the growing concern, expressed in the resolution, but we underscore the fundamental rejection of attempts to foment tensions over this,” the statement says. “Letting political passions loose is the surest way of disrupting the chances of a further dialogue between the sextet of international mediators with Iran, and a resumption of that dialogue without any preconditions is a goal Russia has systematically worked for.”
With this in mind Russia regards as premature the publication on the eve of the just-ended meeting of IAEA governors of the IAEA director-general’s report on so-called alleged research.
“Neither this decision, nor the contents of the report can be regarded as professional,” the Foreign Ministry said.
“Of late the Iranian side exerted additional efforts aimed at promoting the dialogue with the agency in the interests of lifting the existing concerns,” the Foreign Ministry said. “We welcome these steps, and it is important they were reflected in the aforesaid resolution of the Board of Governors.”
“We confirm the commitment to the principles of gradualism and reciprocity in progress towards resolving problems over the Iranian nuclear program,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in the statement. “We welcome the fact that the Board of Governors’ resolution contains a reference to those principles, and also confirms the determination of the international community to find a comprehensive negotiated solution.
“The Russian side will continue to act in this fashion further on,” the Foreign Ministry said.