Araqchi: Iran not to accept inspections beyond Additional Protocol

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, May 6, IRNA -- Senior member of the Iranian nuclear negotiations team Abbas Araqchi said Iran has never accepted any inspections beyond the Additional Protocol and is not going to do so in the future, either.

Talking to IRIB- Channel 2 in New York, he said Iran has already made it clear in the nuclear talks that it is willing to implement the Additional Protocol after the parliament endorses the decision.

He said over 100 world countries are currently implementing the Additional Protocol which gives easier and wider access to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to carry out inspections.

However, he noted, the content of the Additional Protocol is such that prohibits the IAEA inspectors from misusing their authority.

Araqchi stressed that Iran was quite sensitive towards this aspect of inspections and has already barred all the ways which would enable inspectors to probably misuse their access in any forms so it has already devised ways to address its own security concerns.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he dismissed the west allegations that Iran is seeking mass killing weapons and said that Iran, based on a religious decree by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei who has banned such activities, believes it to be standing contradictory to humanity, morality and more importantly Islamic teachings.

Principally, the foreign ministry deputy added, Iran has no problems with taking measures towards trust building or improving transparency but, as it has always highlighted, it is very sensitive to prevent any misinterpretation of its good intentions or attempts to carry out espionage through inspections from Iran's military or defense centers, or to identify its scientists.

He was asked to comment on the consequences of rejecting the IAEA requests to inspect Iran's military centers.

He said if it embarks on extending such a request, then it will have to specify the reasons for inspections of this kind and name the specific location and nature of the inspection.

As for the latest round of nuclear talks in New York, he said it is over after four rounds of concise and inclusive discussions about the drafting of the text of the final agreement.

The next round of talks will be held in Vienna next Tuesday, the diplomat said.

He also said that negotiations focused on both Iran's nuclear program and also the removal of sanctions against Tehran.

He said Iran wanted sanctions to be lifted simultaneous with implementation of the agreements.

The chief negotiator in talks with the world powers went on to underline that Iran is looking for a good agreement and not any kind of deal.

He said Iran never insisted on striking a deal but would want a good agreement if one is to happen.

Iran is certainly seeking a good agreement and prefers to have non otherwise, the official said.

Araqchi underscored that all the sanctions imposed against Iran will be revoked on the same day that the final agreement will be struck.

Araqchi had already commented on the remarks of the US Secretary of State John Kerry about inspections from Iran.

The senior member of the Iranian nuclear negotiations team said sanctions against Iran should be lifted on the very day on which the final agreement is to be implemented.

He explained that when the drafting of the text of the final agreement concludes, then a date will be fixed for it to become operational.

On the same day, he stressed, all economic and political sanctions against Iran have to be lifted.

Araqchi underscored that one major demand of the Iranian nuclear negotiators is the removal of all financial and economic sanctions simultaneous with implementation of the agreement.

He said the present discussions are all focusing on the need for the sanctions to be lifted on the very day of implementation of the nuclear agreement.

The foreign ministry official noted that the overall agreement is already there and the negotiators are focusing on details now.

Asked to comment on the recent remarks of the US Secretary of State John Kerry who said inspections of Iran will run forever, he said he thought the remark was not odd.

He said this kind of inspection is simply part of the Non-Proliferation Treaty regulations.

He went on to note that countries join this treaty to have their peaceful nuclear program and in return accept to give access to the Intentional Atomic Energy Agency for inspections.

He said Iran has been doing this for years now, so inspections come as no wonder to it.

The senior diplomat described as "slow but steady" the process of drafting the text of the final agreement and hoped it would be finished in due time.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Araqchi said there are still points of argument remaining over the language and literature of the agreement.

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