Iran's UN Mission Objects to US Bid for IAEA Board Seat

Iran's mission to the United Nations has objected to a proposal for the United States to be designated for a seat on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), according to a report by Russian state news agency TASS.

In a statement cited by TASS, the Iranian delegation said that having the United States on the global nuclear body's Board "would create a structural conflict of interest," arguing that such a designation would undermine the IAEA's neutrality.

The Iranian mission further stated that the move would "further erode confidence in the IAEA itself," TASS reported.

The IAEA Board of Governors is one of the agency's two main policymaking bodies, responsible for approving safeguards agreements and reviewing the IAEA's programs and budget. Tehran has had a long history of disputes with the agency and with Washington over its nuclear program.

TASS did not provide additional details on the specific proposal for US designation to the Board or on any formal response from the IAEA or the United States. This report is based solely on the TASS account; further details from other sources could not be independently verified at this time.