Iran Says IAEA Modality Should Observe Nation’s Security
By Iran Review
Iran’s envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Tehran will agree on a new modality with the UN nuclear body if the latter observes the Islamic Republic’s national security and submits solid documents on alleged studies.
“As we have proved during the past years, we will continue to interact with the agency to prove the baseless nature of claims [against Iran nuclear energy program] but the framework for our work should be undoubtedly determined first,” Ali Asghar Soltanieh said.
He added that the framework should absolutely observe Iran’s security considerations as a criterion.
The Iranian diplomat noted that there have been differences of opinion during talks between Iran and the IAEA and some of them have been already resolved.
“As long as the main considerations pertaining to Iran’s national security and our basic demand on presenting alleged documents by the IAEA are not included in the text, the framework will not be agreed upon,” Soltanieh pointed out.
The Iranian ambassador to IAEA has also criticized attempts to make a political fuss over completely technical issues in the IAEA reports on Tehran’s nuclear energy program.
“Iran and the Agency can resume their professional job and settle issues only without a political and media hue and cry,” Ali Asghar Soltanieh said.
He said that during the meeting he criticized certain IAEA member states for exerting pressure on the agency’s secretariat to publicize the technical issues before all analyses and studies are completed and scientific conclusions are drawn.
“When the totally technical issues are publicized, it leads to a political hue and cry, which impedes the progress of the work,” he said, adding it will also undermine the IAEA’s credibility as well as the trust between the member states and the secretariat.
