The United States, Britain, France and Germany announced in a joint statement today, Saturday, their welcome of the adoption by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency of a resolution censuring Iran for what it described as its failure to cooperate with the agency.

A statement by the four countries explained that the decision comes in response to Iran's failure to provide the International Agency with information and its failure to cooperate with it on long-standing issues.

The statement expressed the four countries' concern about Iran's reaction to the agency's decision.

The four countries expressed concern about Iran's intention to operate a group of new centrifuges as part of its nuclear program, and urged Tehran to strengthen cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

In the joint statement, it stressed that it was “deeply concerned that Iran, instead of cooperating after the resolution was issued, intends to increase its nuclear program activities in ways that have no peaceful justification,” and that resolving the issue of finding nuclear materials in Iranian sites would help the agency provide assurances regarding the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program.

The statement added that America, Britain, France and Germany expect Iran to return to dialogue and cooperation with the Atomic Energy Agency.

Iran had said it would take several measures, including the use of advanced centrifuges, in response to the decision taken against it by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday evening.