German paper Die Tageszeitung reported on Saturday that Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized Yukiya Amano, the director general of the IAEA, over the nuclear deal with Iran.
Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi and Amano signed a joint statement in Tehran on November 12 on a road map for more cooperation on outstanding nuclear issues.
Under the deal, Iran will, on a voluntary basis, allow IAEA inspectors to visit the Arak heavy water plant and the Gachin uranium mine in Bandar Abbas, in southern Iran. The IAEA Safeguards Agreement does not require Tehran to authorize IAEA inspection of these sites.
Upon returning to Vienna from Iran on November 12, Amano described his talks with Iranian officials as “very constructive” and expressed hope that Iran and the IAEA can “smoothly” implement the agreement reached in Tehran.
The Israeli prime minister dismissed the agreement as dangerous to global peace as it would lead to easing the sanctions pressure on Iran.
This is while Israel is widely believed to be the only possessor of nuclear weapons in the Middle East with an estimated 200 to 400 nuclear warheads.
Israeli rejects all regulatory international nuclear agreements, particularly the NPT, maintaining a policy of deliberate ambiguity over its nuclear activities and refuses to allow its nuclear facilities to come under international regulatory inspections.