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Soltanieh clears up remaining issues of Iranian nuclear program

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Sept 12, IRNA
Iran-IAEA-Soltanieh
Iranian Ambassador to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asghar Soltanieh on Wednesday cleared up remaining issues of Iranian nuclear program.

He said in his address to IAEA Board of Governors that Iranian initiative has led to a new opening for opportunities for examination of Iranian nuclear program by the agency.

He said that IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei's latest report on Iran is a 'major step forward', adding that Iranian initiative has brought a new atmosphere for Iran-IAEA cooperation.

"Iran is hopeful for maintenance of the current friendly atmosphere created after signing of the modality plan and at the same time the political atmosphere is well-prepared for the special states to go ahead with talks with Iran."

He criticized certain states for "questioning the merits of Iran-IAEA modality agreement."

Elsewhere in his address, he said that the modality plan concerns two different categories -- the issues of the past and the present.

"As far as the present issues are concerned, Iran agreed to enter into in-depth technical discussions aiming at concluding the Safeguards Approach and the Facility Attachment for the enrichment facility at Natanz.

"During the discussion on modalities, Iran took additional steps in order to further promote cooperative environment. They consist of the acceptance of additional designated inspectors for Iran, granting access to the Heavy Water Research Reactor in Arak and issuing multiple annual visas for the inspectors and the staff members of the agency," Soltanieh said.

He said that the second category of issues which consist of the exhausted list of the few past remaining issues -- plutonium experiments, P1 and P2, origins of contamination, uranium metal document, and polonium 210 and Ghachine mine had been presented by the agency's team (the heads of technical, political and legal departments) to Iran.

"Iran has agreed to start implementation of the first remaining issue - plutonium experiment."

Soltanieh said that plutonium research experiments, producing mg quantity dated back to a decade ago.

"Despite Iran's continued assertions that no further experiments have been made and the materials and information provided to the agency are comprehensive and correct, a certain state tried to make a big political issue out of it and declared repeatedly in the course of the meetings of the Board of Governors during past four years that issue illustrates the developing threat of Iran's plutonium weapons program.

Soltanieh said that according to ElBaradei's latest report on Iran, the agency confirmed the past declaration of Iran is consistent with the agency's finding and thus the matter is resolved.

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