IRAN-NUCLEAR/AMANO STATEMENT Report on past Iran nuclear work could be ready by year end: IAEA

Record ID: 148520

  • Title: IRAN-NUCLEAR/AMANO STATEMENT Report on past Iran nuclear work could be ready by year end: IAEA
  • Date: 4th July 2015
  • Summary: VIENNA, AUSTRIA (JULY 4, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PALAIS COBURG HOTEL POLICE STANDING OUTSIDE THE HOTEL DIRECTOR GENERAL OF INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA), YUKIYA AMANO, ARRIVING AMANO SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR GENERAL OF INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA), YUKIYA AMANO, SAYING: "As you know the IAEA has intensified engagem
  • Embargoed: 19th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Austria
  • Country: Austria
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACW05OURM2TK4YRM58IPV1F87M
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The U.N. nuclear watchdog could issue a report on its investigation into past Iranian research suspected of being linked to nuclear weapons development by the end of the year if Tehran cooperates, the agency's chief said on Saturday (July 4).
    Amano was in Tehran on Thursday (July 2) for meetings with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and other top Iranian officials to discuss the stalled IAEA investigation into Tehran's past nuclear work.
    He said that during his trip progress had been made in moving his investigation forward but more work would be needed, echoing a statement the IAEA issued on Friday (July 3).
    "As you know the IAEA has intensified engagement with P5+1 and Iran in order to make joint comprehensive plan of action technically sound. On the second of July, I went to Tehran and met with President (Hassan) Rouhani and Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council in order to accelerate the resolution of all the outstanding issues. Through these meetings progress was made on the way forward but more work is needed," Amano told reporters.
    "With cooperation from Iran, I think we can issue a report by the end of the year on the assessment of the clarification of the issues related to the possible military dimension. Once an agreement is reached on the joint comprehensive plan of action the IAEA is ready to implement the nuclear related elements when requested," he added.
    Answering the IAEA's so-far unresolved questions about the possible military dimensions (PMD) of past Iranian nuclear research will be a condition for easing some sanctions on Iran if Tehran and six powers succeed in agreeing on an historic nuclear accord in Vienna, diplomats close to the talks say.
    Iran is in talks with the United States and five other powers - Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia - on an agreement to curtail its nuclear programme for at least a decade in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.
    All sides say a deal is within reach. But there are several difficult sticking points, one of which is the IAEA's stalled investigation into the PMD. Others include access to Iranian sites and the timetable for lifting sanctions.
    The negotiators missed a June 30 deadline for a final agreement, but have given themselves until July 7, and foreign ministers not already in Vienna are due to return on Sunday for a final push.
    Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have remained in Vienna. Senior officials from Iran and the six powers have continued meeting to try to finalize an agreement.
    U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi also met on Saturday, a U.S. official said.
    Western and Iranian officials said there were signs of a compromise emerging on one of the major sticking points: access to Iranian sites to monitor compliance with a future agreement.
    Another potential compromise emerging relates to Iran's low enriched uranium stockpiles. Western and Iranian diplomats said Tehran was considering shipping most of the stockpile out of the country, something Tehran had previously ruled out.
    Regarding the PMD issue, Western diplomats said they were not demanding a public confession that Iran had conducted research into building a nuclear warhead, but that the IAEA had to be satisfied it knew the full scope of past Iranian activity to establish a credible basis for future monitoring.
    A preliminary agreement clinched on April 2 in Lausanne, Switzerland said the PMD would have to be addressed under any final accord between Iran and the six powers.
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