Iran lawmaker accuses IAEA of passing nuclear secrets to Israel

A senior Iranian official accused the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog of passing secrets to Israel, in the latest sign of worsening relations between Iran and the Vienna-based IAEA.

Javad Jahangirzadeh, a member of Iran’s parliamentary presiding board, accused IAEA chief Yukiya Amano of making several trips to Tel Aviv and giving Israel classified information about Iran’s nuclear program.

“Amano’s repeated trips to Tel Aviv and asking the Israeli officials’ views about Iran’s nuclear activities indicates that Iran’s nuclear information has been leaked to the Zionist regime and other enemies of the Islamic Republic,” Jahangirzadeh said Sunday, according to Iran’s English-language PressTV.

The accusation comes about a week after Iran’s envoy to the organization said the watchdog had attempted to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program by blowing up power lines before a visit.

Jahangirzadeh added that the leaks may lead to Iran cutting ties to the watchdog, which he said would be the fault of Vienna.

The IAEA and Iran have been engaged in negotiations over gaining access to enrichment sites in the Islamic Republic. The organization, along with Israel and much of the West, accuses Iran of enriching uranium for a nuclear weapon. Iran denies the claims, but also has denied the IAEA access to the Parchin military site, which is suspected of having been the site of a weapons test.

Last week, Iran’s vice president admitted his country had lied to the IAEA about its nuclear program, though he gave no further details.