TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stressed that the Agency’s recent investigations have given it a better understanding of Iran’s so-called PMD (possible military dimension) case, but gaps still remain.

The IAEA chief Yukiya Amano is planned to release a report on the Iranian nuclear program, including the PMD issue, next week, and the Agency’s Board of Governors will review the report and make a final decision in a meeting on December 15.

The investigation leading to the report, which is aiming to answer questions on these and other points that have gone unanswered for years, had given the agency a better understanding of the "whole picture" of Iran's past nuclear activities, Amano said, adding, however, that gaps still remained.

Diplomats have said for weeks that they do not expect the report to be clear-cut, which Amano also confirmed on Thursday, Reuters reported.

"The report will not be black and white," Amano told a news conference when asked about the final assessment of PMD file which is due next week.

"What I can now say is that this is an issue that cannot be answered by 'yes' and 'no'," Amano said.

Also in an introductory statement to the Board of Governors, Amano said on Thursday that the Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement.

“But we are not in a position to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran, and therefore to conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities,” he added.

“The Agency has continued its monitoring and verification activities in relation to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the text of a nuclear accord finalized by Iran and world powers on July 14. October 18th was Adoption Day for the nuclear deal. On the same day, Iran informed the Agency that, effective on Implementation Day, it will provisionally apply its Additional Protocol and fully implement the modified Code 3.1," Amano reported.

"The Agency is conducting preparatory activities related to the verification and monitoring of Iran’s nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA, including verification and monitoring of the steps Iran has begun taking towards the implementation of those commitments. The activities set out in the Road-map between Iran and the Agency for the period to October 15th were completed on schedule. A wrap-up technical meeting took place between Iran and the Agency on November 24th," he added.

“Next week, I expect to provide my final assessment on all past and present outstanding issues, as set out in my report of November 2011, for action by the Board,” he said.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has made it clear that any failure to close the so-called PMD case in Tehran’s nuclear program will certainly stifle the implementation of a lasting nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers.

“If the PMD (case) is not closed, and even if there remains a chance of return of the PMD… it would mean that the JCPOA will not move ahead,” Araqchi said in a television talk show on Wednesday night.

He underscored that Iran “will not fulfill its remaining commitments under the JCPOA” if the country’s PMD case remains, even slightly, open at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors.

By Tasnim News Agency