RUSSIA: IRAN SAYS IT WILL HOLD FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE UNITED NATIONS' NUCLEAR WATCHDOG AGENCY

Record ID: 316992

  • Title: RUSSIA: IRAN SAYS IT WILL HOLD FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE UNITED NATIONS' NUCLEAR WATCHDOG AGENCY
  • Date: 4th July 2003
  • Summary: (W6) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JULY 2, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV INTERIOR OF CONFERENCE HALL; NEWS CONFERENCE BY HEAD OF IRAN'S ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY GHOLAMREZA AGHAZADEH AND RUSSIAN COUNTERPART ALEXANDER RUMANTSEV (2 SHOTS) 0.14 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) GHOLAMREZA AGHAZADEH SAYING "We need to discuss with the committee of the agency (United Nations' IAEA) and the
  • Embargoed: 19th July 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Reuters ID: LVAEF69VPR9I9UH6LYKUR2IER25A
  • Story Text: Iran has said it will be holding further discussions
    with the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency over demands
    it should submit to a tighter inspection regime of its nuclear
    programme.

    The head of Iran's atomic energy agency told reporters
    in Moscow on Wednesday (July 2, 2003), that his country would be
    holding discussions with the International Atomic Energy
    Agency (IAEA) over proposals for a new inspections protocol.

    Gholamreza Aghazadeh, on a three-day visit to Russia,
    said Iran's nuclear programme was transparent in nature and
    fell within existing IAEA guidelines. He added Iran had so far
    co-operated well with the IAEA.

    "Our activities (Iran's nuclear programme) are
    transparent and clear; and we have very good co-operation with
    the agency (United Nation's IAEA); and in some cases this
    co-operation has gone beyond existing IAEA regulations and
    safeguards," said Aghazadeh.

    Aghazadeh arrived in Russia on Monday (June 30) for talks
    with senior Russian officials, including Russian Foreign
    Minister Igor Ivanov.

    Russia has been helping Iran develop its nuclear
    facilities which Tehran says is intended for civilian use, a
    claim disputed by Washington, who has accused Iran of trying
    to acquire nuclear weapons.

    Mohammed ElBaradei, the head of the U.N.'s IAEA nuclear
    watchdog, will visit Iran on July 9 amid mounting pressure on
    the Islamic Republic to accept tougher inspections of its
    nuclear sites.

    The United Nations, United States, Russia and the European
    Union have all urged Tehran to allow more intrusive, short-
    notice nuclear inspections, after an IAEA report criticised
    Iran last month for failing to fully report its atomic
    activities.

    Russia has said it expected to sign a deal in the near
    future clearing the way for nuclear fuel exports to Iran, part
    of a contract between Moscow and Tehran to jointly build the
    Islamic state's first atomic plant.

    "Russia has appealed to Iran to sign the additional (IAEA)
    protocol. We think that such an approach, when countries are
    taking additional obligation on transparency, will benefit the
    non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and technologies," said
    Russian Nuclear Energy Minister Alexander Rumantsev.

    Although pressing Tehran to agree to more stringent IAEA
    inspections, Russia has dismissed U.S. concerns over its
    nuclear co-operation with Tehran.


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