IRAN "HAPPY" AT THE IAEA STATEMENT

VIENNA 19 June (IPS) Iran expressed Thursday satisfaction at a statement endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urging Tehran to allow continued inspections of its suspect facilities and to stop enriching nuclear fuel.

In a statement endorsed by the United States and other members of the Vienna-based organisation, IAEA’s Board of Directors said it expected Iran "to grant the agency all access deemed necessary by the agency".

The statement also "encouraged Iran not to introduce nuclear material" at its Natanz uranium enrichment plant pending the resolution of concerns about what it planned to do with any enriched fuel.

The board shared concerns "at the number of Iran's past failures to report material, facilities and activities as required by its safeguards obligations," the statement said. "Noting the Iranian actions taken thus far to correct these failures, the board urged Iran promptly to rectify all safeguards problems ... and resolve questions that remain open".

Iran had not declared the construction of the site, as well as another one in Arak, in central Iran, destined to produce enriched uranium, a component that serves for nuclear reactors.

Iran had also failed to report importing 1.8 tons of enriched uranium from China in 1992, but Mr. Qolamreza Aqazadeh, Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation had observed that at that time, Iran was not bound to do so.

The statement stopped short of demanding that Iran accept such inspections but urged the country to look "positively" at signing and ratifying a protocol in addition to its present commitments that would give the agency more inspection powers.

Observers said the statement was a compromise designed to satisfy both Iran, which has denied that it was planning to make nuclear weapons, and the United States and Israel, which accuses the Islamic Republic of Iran of wanting the sites for military purposes, a claim that Tehran vehemently deny.
Iran insists its nuclear program is intended to produce electricity, which will be needed as oil supplies decline. Tehran has said it would agree to provide more access and information to inspectors, but only in exchange for more advanced nuclear technology.

The United States had wanted the nuclear agency to declare Iran in violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). The matter could then be sent to the U.N. Security Council for possible action.

"Iran should continue to be fully transparent", said Mohamed el-Barade’i, the Egyptian Head of the IAEA, announcing that the board had reached consensus on the statement after days of demanding negotiations.

"We still have a lot of work to do", he said, urging Tehran to be “fully cooperative” with IAEA’ experts, giving them free access to all Iranian nuclear facilities at any time and without any conditions in the one hand and sign the NPT’s additional protocols”.

Iran's representative at the Agency, Mr. Ali Akbar Salehi welcomed the decision, but cautioned that Iran must also have its share of the NPT’s clauses, including the one that provides the signatories access to advanced nuclear technologies for peaceful and civilian projects.

“We are happy with the statement”, he said, adding that Iran would continue cooperate with IAEA, but at the same time is considering whether to sign the additional protocols.

The United States had demanded tough action to force Iran to open up details of its nuclear program, insisting that it submit to more intrusive inspections after what it called a "deeply troubling" report from the U.N. nuclear agency.

On Wednesday, both the lamed President Mohammad Khatami and Mr. Mohsen Mirdamadi, the Chairman of the Majles’ Foreign Affairs and National Security had assured that Iran was not trying to build nuclear weapons and repeated that Iran was prepared to allow unfettered inspections by the nuclear watchdog agency but expected the international community to recognise Iran's right to acquire advanced peaceful nuclear technology.

Mr. Mirdamadi, speaking at the EU parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in Brussels and in response to several members of the Committee about Iran’s nuclear programs, invited the MEP to come to Iran and visit Iran’s nuclear facilities in order “to become sure that all of our nuclear projects are for peaceful and civilian purposes”.

The compromise language reflected the fact that the United States had met with difficulties in rounding up support for a tough resolution condemning Iran.

According to Mr. Morteza Ra’issi, a senior correspondent for the Persian service of the BBC, efforts deployed by countries like China, Malaysia and India in the one hand and Iran’s bold diplomatic behind the scene activities played an important role in softening the resolution.

However, the Agency’s spokesman said the Thursday compromise decision was not “final”, as IAEA has given Tehran until September to respond to the demands formulated by the IAEA.

“If, at its next meeting in September, the Board considers as negative the report of inspections carried by experts on Iranian nuclear facilities, then the question may be submitted to the United Nations Security Council” diplomats said. ENDS IRAN NUCLEAR 19603