Moniz says IAEA can access sites in 24 hours

Secretary Ernest Moniz takes the stand at the hearing.

“The JCPOA prevents Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, provides strong verification measures that give us ample time to respond if Iran chooses to violate its terms, and takes none of our options off the table,” says Moniz.

He says he is “very confident the technical underpinnings are solid.”

Verification “is forever stronger than it would be without the agreement,” says Moniz.

“Much has been made about a 24 day process for ensuring that IAEA inspectors can get access to undeclared nuclear sites. In fact, the IAEA can request access to any suspicious location with 24 hours’ notice under the Additional Protocol, which Iran will implement under this deal,” says Moniz.

“The JCPOA goes beyond that baseline, recognizing that disputes could arise regarding IAEA access to sensitive facilities, and provides a crucial new tool for resolving such disputes within a short period of time so that the IAEA gets the access it needs in a timely fashion — within 24 days.”

Blocking the “covert path,” will, however, always rely on US intelligence, not the IAEA, he says.

“The big gamble would be in turning away from the agreement, rather than implementing the agreement,” he says.