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Ex-IAEO chief: It is Iran's sovereignty right to vet IAEA inspectors

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Sept 10, IRNA -- First head of the Iran Atomic Energy Organization said late Thursday that it is Iranian government sovereignty rights to vet inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“As per Iran and the IAEA agreement, the inspectors of the UN nuclear watchdog should be scrutinized in light of their background and activities by Iranian government,” Akbar Etemad said.

He added without doubt Iran has sufficient reasons not to welcome some IAEA inspectors.

Etemed underlined that Iran voluntarily signed the additional protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty thus, allowing snap inspection of its nuclear facilities by the IAEA experts.

“Meanwhile, Iran's Majlis (Parliament) has approved a plan for the government to suspend implementation of the NPT Additional Protocol, thus Iran should vet inspectors of the IAEA before departure to this country,” he said.

IAEA Chief Yukiya AmanoAmano on Monday released his latest report on Iran's nuclear activities, in which he once gain confirmed that the IAEA 'verifies the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran.'

The report, however, urged Iran to 'cooperate in clarifying outstanding issues' and suspend its uranium enrichment activities, a political demand stressed in different UN Security Council resolutions against Iran.

Despite the rules enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entitling every member state, including Iran, to the right of uranium enrichment, Tehran is now under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down the West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment.

Tehran has dismissed the West's demands as politically tainted and illogical, stressing that sanctions and pressures merely consolidate Iranians' national resolve to continue their path.

Political observers believe that the West has remained at loggerheads with Iran mainly over the independent and home-grown nature of Tehran's nuclear technology, which gives the Islamic Republic of Iran the potential to turn into a world power and a role model for other Third World countries.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 267153