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Iran hails new IAEA resolution a victory for Tehran

IRNA

Tehran, Nov 27, IRNA -- Iran has hailed what it has called a victory 
for Tehran and "obvious failure for America and Israel" an 
international nuclear watchdog`s refusal to refer the country`s atomic
program case to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions. 
In a clear sign that Europe`s close contact with Iran had paid 
dividends, the 35-nation board of governors, working under the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), issued a compromise 
resolution Wednesday, welcoming Tehran`s "active openness". 
"This resolution is a clear sign that America and Israel have 
failed to implement their premeditated plan against the Islamic 
Republic," secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Hassan 
Rowhani, told reporters Wednesday upon return from Vienna. 
The United States and its key ally Israel, wished that the board 
of governors would confront Iran through sanctions by reporting the 
country to the UN Security Council. 
Rowhani said "America sought that a new resolution was not signed 
in the board of governors` meeting so that the former resolution 
remained in force". 
"In the former resolution, Iran`s relations with the IAEA, had 
spun out of normal course and come under the conditions of Article 18 
of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)," he said, adding "Iran has 
opened a new phase in its relations with the agency". 
According to Article 18, the board of governors can examine the 
nuclear activities of a country whenever it wants, paving the way for 
Article 19 which requires report to Security Council. 
"From now on, Iran`s relations with the Agency will be normal and 
the country will be excepted from the framework of safeguards Article 
18," Rowhani said. 
According to the official, the new resolution "despite widespread 
pressures of America, Israel and certain countries, have not only met 
many of Iran`s demands, but have not brought about any positive 
achievement for America and the countries which are opposed to the 
development of Iran`s peaceful nuclear technology". 
France, Germany and Britain led Europe in opposing a tougher line 
on the Islamic Republic, arguing that the Islamic Republic should be 
awarded for its openness, including its pledge to allow snap 
inspections of its nuclear facilities. 
Rowhani said Europe "despite being faced with pressures and 
constraints, acted with goodwill". 
"We had many commonalties with Europe in this regard... Europe 
wanted that Iran did not seek nuclear weapons. We too believed in 
this," he said. 
Iran, however, has some reservations about certain articles of the
resolution, Rowhani said. The agency censured Iran for allegedly 
concealing sensitive atomic research for 18 years, besides omitting a 
part of the IAEA director general, Mohamed ElBaradei`s report, which 
had declared Tehran`s nuclear activities as peaceful. 
"The Islamic Republic has reservations about certain articles of 
the resolution, including its tone which could have been better than 
this. Some issues which existed in (Mohamed) ElBaradei`s report, 
must also have been included," he said. 
According to the official, the articles were aimed at a compromise
in order to save the United States` face after its proposal to include
the "trigger" clause in the resolution received another blow. 
The clause warns that if further Iranian failures come to light, 
the IAEA board will take all necessary options at its disposal. 
"After Americans` failure to include (Iran`s activities) in 
serious breach (of the NPT), they tried to add a clause according to 
the trigger formula which would have led to the automatic referral of 
Iran`s case to the Security Council, but this did not realize either,"
Rowhani said. 
According to the official, the clause does not make "either 
direct or indirect reference to the case`s referral to the Security 
Council; rather Iran`s issues must be resolved in the board of 
governors on a routine basis". 
"This clause is a clarification of the self-evident facts and 
repetition of the agency`s responsibilities and those of the board 
of governors toward all countries and has no new point, nor has 
it any achievement for America," Rowhani said. 
The SNSC chief said "some parts were omitted from the resolution, 
while some others were added so that the Americans pull out of the 
battle ground a little bit more honorably after several weeks of 
serious squabble". 
BH/212 
End