US pushes to end investigation into Iran’s nuclear program

The Obama administration is reportedly rallying behind an international effort to turn the page on an investigation into Iran’s work to build a nuclear bomb.

Days after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) asserted that Iran performed some work to build a bomb until 2009, the United States is now backing an effort to close the probe, according to The Wall Street Journal.

{mosads}“All the activities in the road map for the clarification of past and present outstanding issues regarding Iran’s nuclear program were implemented in accordance with the agreed schedule,” the U.S. and five other world powers said in a draft resolution submitted to the IAEA’s board on Monday obtained by the newspaper.

“[T]his closes the board’s consideration of this item.”

The resolution, which was widely expected following last week’s IAEA report, is likely to receive swift approval at the IAEA’s board meeting next week.

Closing the IAEA’s investigation would advance the global effort to implement this summer’s deal with Tehran, which lifts sanctions on Iran’s oil and financial sectors in exchange for limits on its nuclear powers. Global sanctions on Iran would still not be lifted until sometime next year, however, after the IAEA certifies that the country has taken necessary steps to unwind its nuclear program.

Last week’s report said Iran conducted “coordinated” work to build a nuclear bomb through 2003 but that all activities had ended by the close of 2009.

Iran’s work to build a nuclear weapon never advanced beyond the initial stages, the report said.

At the time, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said that the Obama administration was planning on submitting a resolution “with a view towards closing” the investigation into Iran’s past nuclear work, “and then after that we can focus on implementing” the agreement.

Opponents of the nuclear deal were quick to warn that the report was based on limited intelligence, and they accused the Obama administration of rushing to implement the accord.