Today’s discussions revolved around the resolution’s clauses and amendments, highlighting divisions and the need for clearer consensus.
The main submitter was the USA, with Israel, the UK, France, Ukraine, Germany, and Italy as co-submitters. The USA emphasized that this resolution proved to be the best option they could create, aiming to address a range of issues inclusively. However, the Russian Federation strongly disagreed, sparking a heated debate.
The USA´s push to remove a specific clause led to further confrontation, with Russia accusing them of trying to paint Russia as the villain, which the USA found offensive. After Russia apologized, the USA questioned why Russia was even in the committee if they disagreed with everything being proposed.
Iran voiced concerns that the present nations were ignoring safety issues in the Middle East, arguing that the clause would make the region more vulnerable. When questioned by Sierra Leone, Iran responded that they felt threatened by Israel and didn’t want to be militarily endangered.
China challenged Iran on its resistance to transparency, to which Iran replied that it feared how Israel might use sensitive nuclear information. Israel countered, insisting that the committee would oversee any actions, but felt offended by Iran’s implication. Iran stood by its stance, and no apology was granted by the chairs.
Meanwhile, Russia and the USA´s conflict continued, with Russia insisting they were being unjustly targeted by the committee and demanding an apology from the USA.
The IAEA committee’s discussions revealed deep divisions on nuclear waste management and regional security. Despite attempts at finding common ground, disagreements between key nations like the USA, Russia, Iran, and Israel highlighted the challenges ahead. Moving forward, global cooperation remains essential to address these complex issues effectively.