Iran suspends NPT additional protocol until IAEA recognizes its rights
Iran-UN, Politics, 10/17/2005

The Iranian Majlis' National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Sunday approved the general outlines of a single-urgency bill providing for the suspension of the government's voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), IRNA reported.

Talking to IRNA, commission member Mahmoud Mohammadi said the general outlines of the bill was discussed by the commission during its Sunday session and was approved by a vote of the majority.

The report said: Members of the commission gave their proposals on various details of the bill and agreed to put one of the proposals to a vote on Tuesday, he added.

"In this proposal, the government would be obligated to suspend voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol if the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports Iran's nuclear case to the UN Security Council," he said.

The government of former president Mohammad Khatami implemented the Additional Protocol as a voluntary measure in order to build confidence on the part of the international community on the government's nuclear programs. This opened the way for the IAEA to undertake snap inspections on the country's nuclear sites, but the decision was never passed into law by the Majlis.

In the wake of the September anti-Iran resolution passed by the IAEA's 35-nation Governing Board, over 155 MPs introduced a single- urgency bill in Majlis urging the government to suspend implementation of the Additional Protocol. The bill was passed on September 28 with 162 votes in favor.

The bill now binds the government to suspend its voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) until Tehran succeeds in obtaining recognition of its right to complete the nuclear fuel cycle.

Previous Stories:
  Iran not going to be hostage to other's foreign policy using nuclear supplies   (10/15/2005)
  European parliament acknowledges Iran's nuclear program   (10/13/2005)
  Israel threatens the region; Janati   (10/8/2005)

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