20 June 2003
White House Welcomes IAEA Report on Iran's Nuclear Program
(Iran should take recommended steps to reassure international community) (860) The White House welcomes the International Atomic Energy Agency's June 6 report on Iran, according to White House spokesman Ari Fleischer, speaking to the press on June 19. The report, "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran," is available at www.iaea.org/worldatom/. Fleischer said the report calls on Iran to take two specific steps: one is to permit the IAEA to take environmental samples at locations inside Iran, and the second is to ratify an additional protocol making assuring the international community of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities. "The President welcomes this report. It's international reinforcement of the President's message yesterday that the world, broadly speaking, joins together in fighting proliferation and making certain that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons," Fleischer said. Following are excerpts from White House spokesman Fleischer's June 19 briefing: (begin transcript) Q: Do you have any reaction to the IAEA's report on Iran's nuclear efforts? And, secondly, in his comments yesterday what kind of new line was the President trying to draw, in terms of Iran's seeming clandestine efforts to achieve a nuclear weapon? MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President welcomes the international community's report about Iranian attempts to develop nuclear weaponry. The report stated that Iran had -- there are a number of past failures by Iran to report material, facilities and activities as required by safeguard applications. The report noted that the enrichment plan that Iran is under IAEA safeguards, and the board encouraged Iran not to introduce nuclear material at the pilot enrichment plant, as a confidence building measure. And then the board called on Iran to take two specific concrete steps. One is to permit the IAEA to take environmental samples at locations inside Iran. And they also call on Iran to ratify an additional protocol making certain that Iran is acting in a way that provides assurances to the international community of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities. The board is concerned, the international community is concerned and the President is concerned. The President welcomes this report. It's international reinforcement of the President's message yesterday that the world, broadly speaking, joins together in fighting proliferation and making certain that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons. Q: Iran rejected those, quickly rejected those requests, though, today, according to the reports just before we left. What next? MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I've seen mixed commentary on what Iran's reaction has been. Iran did not support the board. All nations of the IAEA supported this; Iran did not. But then Iran has issued statements welcoming this. So I think it remains to be seen what Iran's reaction will be. But if Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons, why wouldn't they cooperate fully and completely with the IAEA? Q: Ari, is there a military option on the table for dealing with Iran? MR. FLEISCHER: The President wanted to see what the IAEA reported. Clearly, the United States and the international community share the same concerns about Iran. The President's hope is that the future of Iran will be decided by the Iranian people. There is a tremendous young population in Iran that is yearning for a better way of life and a more tolerant way of life. That's where the President is focused. Q: Will there be more efforts to go to the U.N., to bring this before the Security Council? MR. FLEISCHER: The IAEA just made its report. I think the world will be very interested in Iranian reaction -- and Iranian reaction will be telling. If the Iranians are pursuing peaceful nuclear energy, as they claim they are, then they have every reason to comply with the IAEA's request, particularly the two specific requests to take the environmental sample and to sign the additional protocol. So I think the international community will watch Iran's next move. Q: So is the President still undecided on whether he believes Iran is, in fact, already committed to acquiring a weapon? Or does he -- I mean, does he think that Iran has actually made that decision? MR. FLEISCHER: The President is concerned about Iranian efforts that indicate they want to acquire nuclear weaponry. And as the President said, we -- which is an expression representing the international community -- will not tolerate Iranian development of nuclear weaponry, which is exactly what the IAEA report is all about. The world's protocols for fighting against proliferation are important and that's why Iran needs to comply. Otherwise, the world will conclude that Iran may be producing nuclear weapons. Q: Does the U.S. have any sort of leverage going forward? If so, what? MR. FLEISCHER: I think already the European Union has taken a look at this report and they will make their judgments about ongoing trade with Iran. But proliferation remains a vital issue around the world -- unless the international community is content to let various nations acquire nuclear weapons. The President is not. The international community is not. And this is why the report by the IAEA today is significant. (end transcript) (Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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