UN agency seeks deal to inspect Iran nuclear site; West skeptical
Source: Agencies |
June 9, 2012, Saturday
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THE UN nuclear watchdog was pressing Iran yesterday for a deal that would enable its inspectors to visit a military complex where they suspect atomic bomb research has taken place, but Western diplomats are skeptical a breakthrough will be reached.
World powers will be watching the IAEA-Iran meeting in Vienna closely to judge whether Iran is ready to make concessions before its broader talks with them later this month in Moscow on their decade-old nuclear dispute.
Both Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear body, say significant progress has been made on a framework agreement to resume a long-stalled IAEA investigation into Tehran's nuclear activities.
But differences remain on how the IAEA should conduct its probe, and the US said this week it doubted whether Iran would give the UN agency the kind of access to sites, documents and officials it needs.
"I'm not optimistic," Robert Wood, the acting US envoy to the IAEA, told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of the UN agency's governing board. "I certainly hope that an agreement will be reached but I'm not certain Iran is ready."
His skepticism was reinforced by defiant remarks by Tehran's envoy to the IAEA, who accused it on Wednesday of acting like a Western-manipulated spy service and said that Iran's military activities were none of its business.
Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh said Iran would work with the IAEA to prove that Western allegations that Iran seeks a nuclear weapons capability were "forged and fabricated." Iran says its nuclear program is aimed at generating electricity.
Details key to deal's value
But Soltanieh also said Iran would "not permit our national security to be jeopardized," suggesting it might limit the scope of the UN inspectors' investigation.
Western officials, who suspect Iran is dragging out the two sets of talks to buy time for its nuclear program, say the value of any deal will depend on how it is implemented.
The IAEA wants Iran to address concerns over intelligence information pointing to research and tests in Iran - some of which may still be in progress - relevant for developing a nuclear weapons capability.
The European Union stressed that the IAEA should be free to conduct its probe in an open way and not be forced to close areas of inquiry prematurely, suggesting this may still be a bone of contention.
"The agency must be able to revisit areas as their work progresses and as new information becomes available," the 27-nation EU said in a statement to the IAEA's 35-nation board.
The IAEA's immediate priority is gaining access to the Parchin military complex southeast of Tehran, where it believes Iran built a steel vessel in 2000 for high-explosives tests and may now be cleaning the site of any incriminating evidence.
Iran says Parchin is a conventional military facility and has dismissed such allegations as "ridiculous."
Diplomats and analysts say Iran may offer the IAEA more cooperation as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with world powers, which resumed in April after a 15-month hiatus and are to continue in Moscow next week.
World powers will be watching the IAEA-Iran meeting in Vienna closely to judge whether Iran is ready to make concessions before its broader talks with them later this month in Moscow on their decade-old nuclear dispute.
Both Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear body, say significant progress has been made on a framework agreement to resume a long-stalled IAEA investigation into Tehran's nuclear activities.
But differences remain on how the IAEA should conduct its probe, and the US said this week it doubted whether Iran would give the UN agency the kind of access to sites, documents and officials it needs.
"I'm not optimistic," Robert Wood, the acting US envoy to the IAEA, told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of the UN agency's governing board. "I certainly hope that an agreement will be reached but I'm not certain Iran is ready."
His skepticism was reinforced by defiant remarks by Tehran's envoy to the IAEA, who accused it on Wednesday of acting like a Western-manipulated spy service and said that Iran's military activities were none of its business.
Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh said Iran would work with the IAEA to prove that Western allegations that Iran seeks a nuclear weapons capability were "forged and fabricated." Iran says its nuclear program is aimed at generating electricity.
Details key to deal's value
But Soltanieh also said Iran would "not permit our national security to be jeopardized," suggesting it might limit the scope of the UN inspectors' investigation.
Western officials, who suspect Iran is dragging out the two sets of talks to buy time for its nuclear program, say the value of any deal will depend on how it is implemented.
The IAEA wants Iran to address concerns over intelligence information pointing to research and tests in Iran - some of which may still be in progress - relevant for developing a nuclear weapons capability.
The European Union stressed that the IAEA should be free to conduct its probe in an open way and not be forced to close areas of inquiry prematurely, suggesting this may still be a bone of contention.
"The agency must be able to revisit areas as their work progresses and as new information becomes available," the 27-nation EU said in a statement to the IAEA's 35-nation board.
The IAEA's immediate priority is gaining access to the Parchin military complex southeast of Tehran, where it believes Iran built a steel vessel in 2000 for high-explosives tests and may now be cleaning the site of any incriminating evidence.
Iran says Parchin is a conventional military facility and has dismissed such allegations as "ridiculous."
Diplomats and analysts say Iran may offer the IAEA more cooperation as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with world powers, which resumed in April after a 15-month hiatus and are to continue in Moscow next week.
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