JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s Foreign Ministry criticized the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog for ineffectiveness in Iran and Syria.
The statement released Sunday comes after weekend reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency on its investigations in Iran and Syria.
The report on Iran, which contained findings of increased uranium enrichment there, "emphasizes the IAEA’s inability to carry out full and effective monitoring in Iran due to that country’s continued lack of cooperation," the Foreign Ministry said. "These findings demonstrate that the international community, no more than Israel, cannot place its trust in IAEA monitoring in Iran.
"What is needed from the international community is immediate and determined action to ensure that Iran will not be able to produce nuclear weapons."
The report on Syria details "many suspicious findings as well as Syria’s unresponsiveness to the Agency’s demand to visit the various sites and to provide answers to disturbing issues," according to the Foreign Ministry. "This situation reinforces suspicions that Syria is trying to blur evidence of secret nuclear activity that took place at Dir a-Zur in eastern Syria. The Agency should condemn Syria for hiding the facts pertaining to this activity."
The ministry called on the IAEA director general to "conduct an investigation free from political considerations and bias," and to demand that North Korea cooperate in the investigation.
