Iranian guards sexually assaulted women IAEA inspectors – report

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Iranian security guards had female inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) remove their clothes and then touched them inappropriately at the Natanz nuclear facility in Iran. The Wall Street Journal.

At least four different harassment incidents have been reported since early June, a diplomat said The Wall Street Journal, while another diplomat said there had been five to seven. The most recent incident was reported in recent weeks.

“What I understand is that there were touches in different places, sensitive places, etc.,” a diplomat told the newspaper.

A document distributed by the United States among IAEA members ahead of a meeting of the agency’s board of member states this week demanded an end to the conduct.

“The harassment of IAEA inspectors is absolutely unacceptable and we strongly urge you to make it clear in your national statement at the Council meeting that this conduct is deplorable and must end immediately and that the Board should take the appropriate measures if more incidents are reported “. read the document, according to the report.

Exhibition of the nuclear achievements of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, April 10, 2021 (credit: PRESIDENT.IR VIA TASNIM NEWS AGENCY)Exhibition of the nuclear achievements of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, April 10, 2021 (credit: PRESIDENT.IR VIA TASNIM NEWS AGENCY)

The IAEA confirmed this The Wall Street Journal that incidents occurred at the facility, without providing details.

“The Agency raised this issue immediately and firmly with Iran to explain in very clear and unequivocal terms that these security-related incidents involving Agency staff are unacceptable and should not happen again. “Iran has provided explanations related to enhanced security procedures after events at one of its facilities,” an IAEA spokesman told the spokesman. “As a result of this exchange between the Agency and Iran, there have been no further incidents.”

This is not the first time Iran has faced allegations of harassment against IAEA inspectors. In 2019, a female inspector was arrested at the airport and her travel documents were withdrawn from Tehran. Iran claimed at the time that it had remnants of explosives and later released it.

Other incidents of alleged harassment occurred before nuclear negotiations began in 2013 before the JCPOA nuclear deal was signed. The Wall Street Journal.

In April, Iran was elected a member of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for a four-year term along with China, Japan, Lebanon and Pakistan.

According to the organization, the Commission on the Status of Women is the “global advocate for gender equality.” It works to develop and uphold standards by which all women can exercise their human rights. The commission focuses on issues it considers fundamental to women’s equality and seeks to promote the progress of women around the world.

Women’s rights are severely restricted in Iran, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW), which claims they face “severe discrimination” on a variety of issues, including marriage, divorce and child custody. Women have been jailed for protesting for women’s rights, HRW reported.

Domestic violence, marital rape, forced and premature marriage are crimes that the Iranian authorities have not been able to criminalize, according to Amnesty International. According to Amnesty International, these crimes and other gender-based violence against women continue to spread in the country.

Authorities have also not taken action against men who kill their wives or daughters and the legal age to marry is 13, although men can get permission to marry their daughters and granddaughters sooner, he said. dir Amnesty International.

“Choosing the Islamic Republic of Iran to protect women’s rights is like turning an arsonist into the city’s fire chief,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch at the time. “It’s absurd and morally reprehensible.”

Eve Young contributed to this report.

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