Iran denies any alleged breach in its nuclear energy program
IRNA
Tehran, June 8, IRNA -- Iran on Sunday rejected allegations that it
ever faulted on compliance with its nuclear safeguards agreement.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reportedly said
ahead of a meeting of the agency's board of governors on July 16 that
the Islamic Republic had failed to comply with its safeguards
agreement.
"According to Iran's earlier commitments to the International
Atomic Energy Agency, the Islamic Republic of Iran has not committed
any breach," Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told reporters after
attending a parliamentary questioning.
The faults, according to the nuclear energy watchdog, included
the reporting of nuclear material, the subsequent processing and use
of that material and the declaration of facilities where that material
was stored and processed.
Kharrazi summed up Iran's obligations, signed during IAEA Director
General Mohammad ElBaradei's visit to the Islamic Republic in
February, saying as per the agreement Tehran has not violated any of
its commitment.
"According to this new commitment, we must inform IAEA before
launching construction work on any (nuclear) site. Since the Iranian
sites have not become operational yet, Iran has not committed any
breach.
"These sites become operational only when nuclear material is used
in them, while Iran's new sites have not entered this phase yet,"
Kharrazi said.
The Iranian foreign minister defended the country's signing of the
Non-Proliferation Treaty as well as the safeguards agreement when
questioned on the relevance of such commitments.
"The International Atomic Energy Agency is informed of what we are
doing in this respect. If the agency works on our plans, that will
prove beneficial for us. This is for creating trust and transparency,"
Kharrazi said.
The Iranian foreign minister was earlier taken into account at the
parliament floor over Tehran's signing of the NPT and safeguards
agreement.
"On which basis and authority did you sign the treaties to
question the right of the nation on determining their own fate and the
country's independence?" an MP from northwestern Tabriz, Akbar Aalami,
asked.
The Islamic Republic, which is party to the NPT, has come under
mounting pressures, apparently instigated by Washington, to sign an
additional protocol which paves the way for more intensive inspection
of the country's nuclear energy facilities.
Kharrazi said, "Pressures will help radical attitude grow in Iran
and this will not benefit the Islamic Republic and the region or
anyone else."
Tehran blames IAEA for the ongoing sanctions which have kept Iran
from acquiring nuclear energy technology and has made signing the
additional protocol conditional on lifting those sanctions.
"The International Atomic Energy Agency says it can better support
Iran's peaceful nuclear activities if we accept the additional
protocol," Kharrazi said.
"However, this is not justifiable for us since we cannot accept to
go under a new commitment while our country is held under the
constraint of various sanctions and restrictions," he added.
Kharrazi also rejected US-led pressures over the country's
'peaceful' nuclear energy program and renewed its appeal to industrial
nations to help Tehran acquire the nuclear know-how.
"A capable Iran cannot be talked to with the language of force and
threats and cannot be pressured to give up nuclear know-how," Kharrazi
said, adding, "A capable Iran must be approached with understanding
and cooperation."
He repeated Iran's appeal to world countries to participate in the
country's nuclear energy programs so as to verify their peaceful
nature.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is capable of acquiring nuclear
know-how and its invitation for other countries to participate in
transferring the nuclear technology indicates Tehran's transparent
policies," he said.
"The Islamic Republic's security doctrine is void of nuclear arms
and Iran's use of nuclear technology is merely for peaceful
intentions," Kharrazi added.
BH/AH/AR
End
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