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Iran says it will fully cooperate with IAEA

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, June 27, IRNA -- Iran Sunday stressed that it will continue 
to fully cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog in order to prove the 
`strictly peaceful` nature of its nuclear program. 
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Hassan 
Rowhani, also reiterated Tehran`s commitment to the nuclear 
non-proliferation and safeguards treaties. 
"The International Atomic Energy Agency can continue its 
inspections; we will also fully cooperate with the agency since we 
know that such cooperation will benefit the Islamic Republic," he 
told an open session of the parliament. 
The inspections will prove that `the Islamic Republic`s activities
are strictly peaceful`, Rowhani said, while expressing confidence 
Iran`s nuclear file `will inevitably be withdrawn from the (IAEA) 
board of governors` agenda sooner or later`. 
Earlier in the day, the official who is the country`s marksman 
on nuclear issues announced Iran`s readiness to hold comprehensive 
negotiations with representatives of France, Germany and Britain in 
Tehran this week. 
Rowhani, however, insisted on the country`s decision to resume 
manufacture and assembly of centrifuge components, starting June 29. 
"We have announced to the three European countries that the 
Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to resume the manufacture and 
assembly activities on June 29," he said. 
Citing Iran`s reasons for the decision, Rowhani said the three 
countries had failed to fulfill their commitments which they had taken
at a February 23 meeting in Brussels. 
The official also rejected IAEA director general Mohamed 
ElBaradei`s allegations of concealment in the Islamic Republic`s 
nuclear program. 
"Mr. ElBaradei and the agency had found one contradiction (in 
Iran`s declaration of its nuclear program), but they apologized for 
that and said they were mistaken," Rowhani said. 
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi echoed Rowhani`s 
views, saying the Europeans` failure to honor their pledges had 
forced Iran to rethink its cooperation. 
"Our policy regarding the International Atomic Energy Agency has 
not changed ... what has caused a change is the Europeans` failure to 
fulfill their pledges. 
"Given that the three European countries have not honored their 
commitments according to the Brussels meeting, we see no reason to 
keep up our part of commitment," Asefi said. 
The official, however, stressed that nothing has changed as it 
regards the IAEA inspectors` free access to Iran`s nuclear 
facilities. 
"Even for the manufacture and assembly (of centrifuge parts), we 
are acting according to the regulations of the agency and its 
supervision; if there had been any ill intention, we would not have 
acted transparently as such. 
"The agency`s inspectors will operate as before, having access to 
all facilities and facing no problem. 
"Cooperation must be bilateral; we prefer the language of 
understanding and friendship to the language of threats and 
intimidation," Asefi added. 
The Foreign Ministry spokesman described the Europeans` behavior 
as contradictory and `surprising`, saying they had reneged on their 
pledge to help Iran`s nuclear file be closed at the June meeting of 
the IAEA board of governors. 
Tehran, in turn, had vowed to suspend the manufacture and 
assembly of centrifuge components. 
"It was the Europeans who scuttled understanding and they are 
chastisable for that; Iran cannot be reprimanded," Asefi said. 
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