Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE= 3/15/2004

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAN / NUCLEAR (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-314121

BYLINE=GREG LAMOTTE

DATELINE=CAIRO

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Iran said Monday it will allow the resumption of nuclear inspections, which were suspended last week. V-O-A's Greg LaMotte reports from Cairo the inspections are to resume by the end of the month.

TEXT: The head of Iran's nuclear program, Hassan Rohani, said his government will definitely reach an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency for the resumption of nuclear inspections.

Tehran suspended the inspections last week while the I-A-E-A was drafting a resolution criticizing Tehran for failing to disclose its possession of advanced centrifuges capable of producing atomic bomb-grade uranium.

The 35-member I-A-E-A board of governors adopted the resolution Saturday. Iranian officials described the resolution as unfair and insulting.

And, despite Mr. Rohani's assurances that the nuclear inspectors would be allowed to return, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi warned Sunday that Tehran's future cooperation with the I-A-E-A could change as a result of the resolution.

Head of the I-A-E-A Mohamed ElBaradei, who is in Washington, said inspections would resume by the end of March.

But an expert on Iran, Amal Hamada, who lecturers at Cairo University, says she would not be surprised if Tehran again changed its mind about whether to let the inspectors back into the country. She says it is a negotiating tactic long employed by the Iranian government.

/ / / HAMADA ACT / / /

Tomorrow, you will see, they will say no we can't let them in or we have to postpone their visit, we're not ready to receive them. They will come up with something new. They say yes, no, yes, no, yes, no position until the very last moment. By pushing everybody to the edge and threatening that 'we will throw everything out in the air and we will be not be a member and we will do our own stuff with our own way' and pushing, pushing, pushing to the limit they bargain that something good will happen for their sake.

/ / / END ACT / / /

Iranian officials said Monday resolving the issue of inspections was not complicated and described it as a technical problem. I-A-E-A officials have said they expect Tehran will allow the return of the inspectors.

Iranian hard-liners have called for Tehran to halt all cooperation with the I-A-E-A, accusing the U-N nuclear watchdog of attempting to deprive Iran of nuclear technology.

The United States has accused Iran of pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapons program, but Tehran has denied this and insists its atomic program is intended solely for civilian purposes. (Signed)

NEB/GL/MAR/FC