IAEA Probe Into Iran’s Weaponization Activities Doesn't Matter

As the U.S., Iran and others mark the formal start of the Iran nuclear agreement, Obama administration officials have confirmed that the findings of a separate but related investigation by the U.N. nuclear watchdog into Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons activity will have no bearing on the deal moving ahead.

Sunday marks the formal start – “adoption day” – of the nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA): Iran is due to begin taking the steps it has agreed to on limiting its nuclear activities, and the U.S. and European Union will start preparations to lift sanctions, including the issuing of sanctions waivers.

Actual sanctions relief is scheduled to take place only at the next JCPOA milestone, “implementation day,” when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verifies that Iran has completed the steps laid out in the deal. (How long it takes to reach implementation day” depends on the speed at which the Iranians carry out those actions, but officials in Tehran have spoken about getting there by year’s end.)

Separately, the IAEA is expected to report by December 15 on its probe into the “possible military dimensions” (PMDs) of Iran’s nuclear program. The agency said last week Iran had met an Oct. 15 deadline to provide the data necessary for it to wrap up the PMD investigation.

Senior administration officials briefing reporters on background at the weekend confirmed that the agency’s findings in the separate PMD investigation will not play a part in the lifting of sanctions.

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