Iran: Cooperation with IAEA beyond Commitment to Safeguard Agreement
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency is beyond its commitments under the safeguard agreement, said a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI).
“Right now, Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA is beyond its commitments under the safeguard agreement and it is expected that the agency takes the issue into account and declare the results of this cooperation,” Behrouz Kamalvandi reiterated.
He made the comments after holding talks with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano in Vienna on Monday.
The Iranian official described the meeting as positive, saying both sides called for the continued cooperation between Iran and the IAEA.
“It was decided that the negotiations should lead to a specific result to avoid an endless trend,” said AEOI spokesman.
Kamalvandi also stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to accelerate the pace of negotiations with the UN nuclear watchdog in diverse areas.
He also pointed to the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear energy program and underscored that Tehran has nothing to hide regarding its atomic energy program.
On Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced that Iran is complying with the terms of an extended interim agreement with six world powers over its peaceful nuclear program.
The IAEA document made clear that Iran is continuing to meet its commitments under the preliminary accord that it reached with the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) late last year and that took effect in January.
The IAEA report also said Iran since July 24 had used 12.5 kg (28 lbs) of its 20 percent uranium in oxide form for manufacturing fuel as per the agreement with the six countries.
It also said Iran had begun preparatory work for diluting more than four tons of uranium gas enriched to up to two percent, Reuters reported.
The report comes as nuclear negotiators representing Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) hold a fresh round of talks on Tehran’s civilian nuclear work in New York.
The negotiations are expected to run until at least September 26 on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.
Iran and the sextet are trying to work out a lasting accord aimed at ending the longstanding dispute over Tehran’s civilian nuclear activities.