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Close negotiations currently going on between Iran, IAEA: Asefi

IRNA

Tehran, Sept 7, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi 
said here on Sunday that close negotiations are being held between 
Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stressing 
that Iran`s acceptance of negotiations is a major, positive and 
constructive step taken by the Islamic Republic in that regard. 
Talking to foreign and domestic reporters, he said the Islamic 
Republic has always tried and is still trying to outline the 
objectives of its peaceful nuclear activities. 
He expressed the hope that Monday`s session of the IAEA Board of 
Governors would be held far from any diplomatic motives. 
The session is to discuss report by the IAEA Head Mohamed 
ElBaradei. 
Answering a question on whether Iran has special suggestions for 
removing the existing ambiguities and concerns, Asefi said Iran`s 
proposals are clear. 
The Islamic Republic`s legitimate right to make peaceful use 
of nuclear technology should be officially recognized by other 
countries, he reiterated. 
"We continue our negotiations and hope that the two sides will 
follow up the case free from political considerations and prejudgment 
so that positive results will be achieved," the Foreign Ministry 
spokesman said. 
Commenting on Iran-Russia negotiations on return of spent fueld, 
he said there is no major problem between the two sides in this 
regard. 
Iran`s negotiations with its Russian partners still go on, he 
said expressing the hope that an agreement will be inked by the two 
countries. 
On reasons behind travel to Tehran of the Iranian Ambassador to 
London Morteza Sarmadi, Asefi said that he came to Tehran for some 
consultations with the Foreign Ministry officials. 
The two countries foreign ministries have close relationship 
with each other, he said adding that the Iranian and British foreign 
ministers are in full contact. 
Tehran believes that the British government has realized that 
the arrest of the former Iranian diplomat, Hadi Soleimanpour, is not 
acceptable to Iran, he said adding that the case had been politically 
motivated from the very beginning. 
Tehran has informed London of the destructive effects of the 
arrest, he said hoping for the unconditional release of the Iranian 
national. 
Defending nationals, anywhere they are, is top on the agenda of 
the Iranian Foreign Ministry, particularly in such a case that an 
innocent person is accused of baseless charges. 
A group of law experts from the Foreign Ministry is currently in 
Argentina to negotiate with the judge in charge of Soleimanpour 
case and the Argentinian judicial officials. 
On arrest of two documentarians of the Islamic Republic of Iran`s 
Broadcasting (IRIB) by the US forces in Iraq, he said Foreign 
Minister Kamal Kharrazi and his British counterpart Jack Straw have 
had lengthy discussions on the issue. Tehran will seriously follow up 
the case, he added. 
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End