IAEA board orders Iran to cooperate with probe into 3 undeclared sites

The International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors on Thursday passed a resolution censuring Iran for not with cooperating with the agency's investigation into traces of uranium found at three sites not declared by the Iranian government.

Why it matters: It's not the first resolution passed by the board against Iran over the issue, but it hints at possibly referring Iran to the U.N. Security Council for failing to fulfill its nuclear obligations, Reuters reports.

• The resolution, drafted by the United States, Britain, France and Germany, orders Iran to explain the origin of the uranium particles at the three undeclared sites.
• The U.S. warned in a statement before the resolution's passage that the board has several options for further action if Iran fails to follow the order, citing a clause of the IAEA Statute that includes referral to the Security Council.

By the numbers: The resolution passed with 26 votes in favor, five abstentions, two absentees and two votes against coming from Russia and China.

The big picture: The 35-nation board first passed a resolution calling on Iran to fully cooperate with the investigation in June.

• In retaliation, Iran disconnected 27 of the IAEA's cameras at several of its nuclear-related sites — including centrifuge production facilities, uranium mines and mills and in storage facilities — that were installed as part of the 2015 nuclear deal.

• The move severely challenged the agreement's monitoring and verification regime. The IAEA later said it was no longer able "to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful" because of the unexplained traces at the sites.
• Talks between the U.S. and Iran to revive the nuclear deal have stalled amid Tehran's brutal crackdown on protesters and its material support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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