Iran Not to Take a Single Step Beyond Commitments-Iranian IAEA Envoy Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh

September 28, 2008

Weapon Program: 

  • Nuclear

Iran's Permanent Ambassador to the IAEA said here Wednesday Tehran will not take a single step beyond its commitments within NPT and July 27th, 2007 Modality.

According to IRNA Political Desk, Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh added in an interview with an Iranian TV news edition, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has fulfilled its entire commitments so far and breached no NPT regulation." Elaborating on the contents of the Tuesday Q/A session of the IAEA Board of Directors, in which the Agency Secretary General Muhamed ElBaradei's report on Iran was surveyed, he said, "The chairman of such sessions was regularly ElBaradei's Treaties Deputy, Olli Heinonen, but this time it was headed by the Agency's Head of Mideast Region Inspections, Hermann Naekarts, who presented Elbaradei report in a slide show to the Board of Governors." Soltaniyeh added, "I offered some explanation at that session and said that Iran has met all its commitments, and expects the Agency to meet its commitments towards Iran."

LAPTOP ISSUE BEYOND AGENCY'S DUTIES
Soltaniyeh who was speaking through video conference, said, "The American laptop and explosives issue are beyond the agency's duties, but the IAEA argues that in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions Iran should also answer such issues."
Iran's permanent ambassador to IAEA reiterated, "I elaborated at the Q/A session that Iran would not yield to the Agency's entry to the realm of the countries' security, and we are not ready for taking a single step beyond our commitments within the NPT and the Modality." Soltaniyeh said, "The US Ambassador to the Agency, too, at the Q/A session of the Board of Directors repeated Washington's often made baseless claims, adding that Tehran has not suspended its uranium enrichment program."

He reiterated, "They claim Iran has intended to pursue a top secret nuclear project, while none of the documents in the framework of our correspondence with the Agency has a confidential, or secret stamp on it, and I explained at that session that such a thing is logically impossible." Iran's ambassador at the agency added, "15 European countries at the session confirmed the fact that they are worried lest due to the policies pursued regarding Iran the foundation of an innovation would be laid at the IAEA."

NAM DECLARATION SUPPORTING IRAN DRAFTED
Soltaniyeh focusing on reaction of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) ambassadors towards ElBaradei's recent report on Iran, said, "Soon after the presentation of the report we attended a long meeting with the Troika of the NAM, comprised of representatives of Cuba, Malaysia, and Egypt." He added, "They proposed holding another meeting with the entire ambassadors of the Non Aligned Movement at the IAEA." Iran's permanent ambassador at the agency said, "At the meeting we had with the NAM representatives it was agreed that this time, too, NAM would issue a declaration supporting Iran's peaceful nuclear program." Soltaniyeh said, "The historic document issued by NAM minsters a while ago in Tehran, too, was read out at the meeting, and it was agreed that it should be registered as an official document at the IAEA." Iran's ambassador said that he also had some meetings with the ambassadors of the Western countries at the agency, adding, "We have managed to prove our righteousness, while having yield to no more imposed halt in our legitimate nuclear activities." He added, "In ElBaradei's report, too, our progress has been reflected, while at the diplomatic scene, we have acted very actively."
Soltaniyeh said, "We have so far had 20 private meetings with IAEA officials and ambassadors of various countries at the Agency." Our country's envoy once again stressed, "We cooperate with the IAEA, but will take no step beyond our commitments."

IRAN'S CASE TO BE FURTHER SURVEYED NEXT WEDNESDAY, OR THURSDAY Pointing out that next Monday the Agency's Regular Seasonal Session would begin, Soltaniyeh said, "Continuation of discussions on ElBaradei's report on Iran would be pursued nest Wednesday, or Thursday." Iran's permanent ambassador to the IAEA reiterated, "After the IAEA Seasonal Session the new members of the Board of Directors would be elected and they would soon after that convene their first session."