Urging Arabs to engage in Iran’s nuclear case mars IAEA reputation

By: Ata Bahrami Tehran, March 10, IRNA - UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei’s request from Arab states to engage in Tehran’s nuclear case has practically questioned the agency’s technical performance.

Addressing Austrian Parliament late Monday, ElBaradei called on Arab states to become actively involved in resolving the long-running nuclear stand-off with Iran.

He also wondered how Arab nations are not engaged in Iran’s dialogues with the West.

He also contended that the case has technical and security aspects. That’s to say that technical aspect concerns International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) while political aspects pertain to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

A little focus on ElBaradei’s remarks reveals that there a vivid contradiction in them.

Supposing that IAEA is responsible for technical aspects of the case, his recent statements are not technical and political.

If the agency does not find out any diversion in Iran’s nuclear program, the case should automatically be closed and no outstanding issue will remain. Otherwise,
if Iran continues uranium enrichment, what impact can Arabs’ involvement in the case have on solving the issue?

ElBaradei has unintentionally referred to an important issue. That is the dominance of UNSC over the international technical bodies.

Iran's nuclear case has nothing to do with the Arabs and there is no reason for Iran to accept their involvement in the case.

When ElBaradei tries to coordinate his stance with that of American statesmen, the reputation of IAEA is tarnished./end