Iran says uranium enrichment rights central to talks
Iran-UN, Politics, 6/25/2007

Head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei said on Friday his latest report on Iran's peaceful nuclear activities and its ability to enrich uranium was based on realities.

The director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency had said in his 1,030-page report earlier this month that Iran has not diverted from the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

However, being under strong pressure by the West, the official later said that he was "not confident about the nature of Iran's nuclear activities in the future." Commenting on misinterpretations made over his remarks, ElBaradei said what his comment on Iran's ability to enrich uranium was based on the IAEA's inspections and on the existing realities.

"The fact on the ground is that Iran has the knowledge and the capacity to enrich uranium," ElBaradei told reporters after a two-hour talks with Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in Vienna on Friday.

Stressing that the current standoff over Iran's peaceful nuclear program should be solved "only through diplomatic ways," he said he believed that "Larijani has pledged that he and Iran would work with us to resolve all outstanding issues we discussed." ElBaradei also stressed the need for conducting "comprehensive inspections" in Iran to prove the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities.

He added that ensuring the international community of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program was a major duty of the UN nuclear watchdog.

IAEA spokesperson Melissa Fleming said today that Iran has invited a team from the agency to Iran to resolve the outstanding issues over the national nuclear program.

She said that Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani conferred on Sunday with IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei on an action plan to resolve the remaining questions about Iranian nuclear program.

After his negotiations with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Lisbon on Saturday, Larijani flew to Vienna to work out an action plan with ElBaradei on settlement of remaining issues with the agency.

IAEA is to despatch a delegation to Iran in the near future, Fleming said.

Larijani termed the meeting with Solana as a constructive and fruitful.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said Sunday the issue of recognizing Iran's enrichment right has been raised in Iran-West talks.

Hosseini made the remark in response to a question whether the issue of enrichment suspension was discussed in talks between Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and the EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

"The time for discussing the issue of enrichment has come to an end. The issue of recognizing Iran's right to enrich uranium is the question at present," he said.

He said Solana and Larijani described their talks as "positive and constructive" and added, "The two sides also stressed that they will hold the next round of talks in three weeks." Asked if Iran has promised the International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei to present a plan which would guarantee Tehran's response to the IAEA's remaining questions, the spokesman said, "Larijani's statements on the issue were clear. The outcome of talks with ElBaradei was conditioned on results of negotiations with Solana." Hosseini added, "Iran regards the whole talks as a package. If the talks result in a specific and logical outcome, Iran is ready to reach an agreement with the IAEA on resolving the remaining issues."

Previous Stories:
  Iran ready to pay price to safeguard nuclear rights: MP   (6/12/2007)
  Iran commited to full nuclear right: president   (5/28/2007)
  Iran nuclear talks at end of month   (5/21/2007)

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