This handout picture provided by the Iranian foreign ministry on January 27, 2022, shows Iran's deputy foreign minister and chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani (L) meeting with Deputy Secretary General and Political Director of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Enrique Mora (2nd R), in the capital Tehran. US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley said on Sunday he was not confident that a nuclear deal between world powers and Iran was imminent.Photo:AFP

Iran denounced as "political" and "unconstructive" Thursday a resolution adopted by the UN nuclear watchdog censuring it for failing to cooperate.

"Iran condemns the adoption of the resolution presented by the United States, Britain, France and Germany at the Board of Governors meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency as a political, unconstructive and incorrect action," a foreign ministry statement said.

Iran already announced it had disconnected some IAEA cameras monitoring its nuclear sites in anticipation of the watchdog's adoption of the Western-drafted censure motion Wednesday.

The motion was approved by 30 members of the IAEA board of governors, with only Russia and China voting against it.

The resolution came after the Vienna-based IAEA raised concerns about traces of enriched uranium previously found at three sites Tehran had not declared as having hosted nuclear activities.

"The adoption of the resolution, which is based on the hasty and unbalanced report of the director general of the IAEA and on false and fabricated information from the Zionist regime [Israel], will only weaken the process of cooperation and interaction between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the agency," the foreign ministry statement said.

"Iran has taken reciprocal practical steps due to the non-constructive approach of the agency and the adoption of the resolution, including the installation of advanced centrifuges and the deactivation of cameras."

In a statement on Wednesday, Iran's Atomic Energy Organization stressed that it was continuing to abide by the safeguard agreement with the IAEA.

"More than 80 percent of the agency's existing cameras are operating according to the safeguard agreement and will continue to operate just as before," it said.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh condemned the resolution in a tweet, insisting Iran has "the world's most transparent peaceful nuclear program."

"The initiators are responsible for the consequences. Iran's response is firm & proportionate," he said.

After the adoption of the resolution, the US, Britain, France and Germany urged Iran "to fulfil its legal obligations, and cooperate with the IAEA."

Iran struck a deal with major powers in 2015 setting limits to its nuclear activities in return for relief from international sanctions - but the agreement has been in disarray since then US president Donald Trump abandoned the agreement three years later and reimposed sanctions.

AFP