Iran ‘carefully’ monitoring developments of Saudi secret nuclear activities: Khatibzadeh

Iran’s Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said Tehran is carefully monitoring the developments surrounding Saudi Arabia’s secret nuclear activities, warning Riyadh to adhere to its international obligations.

Khatibzadeh addressed reports about secret nuclear activities by Saudi Arabia, saying, “We warn Riyadh to pay attention and adhere to its international obligations and allow international and legal guidance on Saudi Arabia’s sometimes covert and overt activities to be carefully pursued.”

According to a Wall Street Journal report in August, Saudi Arabia has constructed a facility for the extraction of uranium yellowcake – a potential precursor for a nuclear reactor – in a remote desert location near the small town of Al Ula.

The facility, which has been kept secret, has sparked concern among Riyadh’s Western allies that the kingdom may try to expand its atomic program to keep open its option to build atomic weapons, according to the report.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian official reacted to recent claims by Saudi foreign minister about Iran’s violation of the 2015 nuclear agreement, saying that the remarks are more ridiculous than worth to answer.

Khatibzadeh noted that from the beginning, Saudi Arabia and Israel were strongly opposed to any settlement of disputes over Iran’s nuclear program.

His remarks came after Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah called on the international community to stand up to its responsibilities towards what he claimed Iran’s violations of the nuclear agreement.

Israel, UAE, Bahrain better worry about own security

The spokesman also addressed remarks by Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who had told a virtual press conference with Saudi, Emirati, and Bahraini reports that Tel Aviv would “establish a united front against” Iran after its normalization agreements with Abu Dhabi and Manama.

Khatibzadeh warned that those who chose to place their trust in this “shaky house” would only bring disrepute on themselves.

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain officially signed US-brokered deals that normalized their relations with Israel during a White House ceremony in mid-September.

Iran arms embargo

Khatibzadeh then addressed earlier comments by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who said the European Union’s arms embargo against Iran would remain in force until 2023.

Iran will see a ban on sales of conventional weapons to Tehran lifted later this month in line with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a 2015 nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic.

The spokesman said “no one can prevent Iran from availing itself of its right” to buy arms following the expiration of the embargo.

He said “it is up to Europe what decision it will choose to adopt about prolonging the arms restrictions,” but the continent, including Germany, knows that it is not entitled to interfere with the embargo relief in line with UN Security Council 2231 that has endorsed the JCPOA.

Relations with IAEA

Regarding Iran’s relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Foreign Ministry’s spokesman said that relations between Iran and the UN agency have always been on the basis of technical and professional principles.

He said that the agency has promised to distance from the political pressures and the Islamic Republic allowed the IAEA inspectors to visit two nuclear sites in Iran as a goodwill gesture.