IAEA must continue investigation of Iran’s nuclear program, Lance warns

In a letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Friday, U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ) asked for the continued investigation of Iran’s nuclear program.

Lance, the co-chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, called for the investigation in light of a new report that found that Iran had previously worked to build a nuclear weapon. Iran, however, claimed otherwise during the Obama Administration’s nuclear negotiations earlier in the year.

“According to the report, Iran has not been able to answer questions credibly about the military aspects of its nuclear program,” Lance said. “The refusal to provide the IAEA with answers to a myriad of concerns about its nuclear ambitions, including apparent preparations for a nuclear test and its work at the Parchin facility, does not bode well for its future compliance with the JCPOA and indicates that it would not be prudent for the IAEA to acquiesce to Iran’s requests to close the probe.

“Considering Iran’s dishonesty on the objectives of its nuclear program and its role as a leading state sponsor of terror including potential coordination with leaders of groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, the IAEA probe should continue. In order to certify Iran’s future compliance with the JCPOA it is imperative that international regulators such as the IAEA have a clear picture of the past military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program.”

The letter comes prior to a critical Dec. 15 IAEA meeting that could consider terminating the probe.

“Closing the probe into Iran’s past nuclear program is premature when many questions remain while Iran continues to be uncooperative,” Lance sad. “It would not set the tone of robust enforcement needed to ensure Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA.”