IAEA delegation to discuss Iran's nuclear dispute
Iran-UN, Politics, 7/9/2007

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said today that remaining issues on Iran's nuclear activities was the focal point of Iran's nuclear dispute in the past four years.

He told reporters on the sidelines of the IAEA's Board of Governors meet that he welcomed Iranian invitation to the agency's delegation. "I hope the IAEA delegation will explore grounds to resolve remaining issues."

He said that if the current initiative successfully resolved the remaining issues and shed more lights on Iran's nuclear activities, the UN agency would prevent extra sanctions to be passed by the Security Council. Continued talks depends on Iran's cooperation, he said adding, "We are hopeful about Iranian cooperation with the agency." Asked about his prediction about drawing up Modality Plan to reach a settlement with Iran, he said, "I don't want to speculate." He called for Iran to help calm the current atmosphere and avoid any confrontation through more active cooperation with IAEA.
Direct talks between Iran and the US would help resolve the country's nuclear dispute, ElBaradei said.

Iran's Ambassador to the IAEA Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh said today that the makeup of the IAEA team to visit Tehran on July 11 has been finalized.

He stressed that the IAEA team enjoys a technical, legal and political nature. The team led by the IAEA safeguards chief Olli Heinonen is to visit Iran on Wednesday for discussions on how to resolve Tehran's disputed nuclear activities.

He reiterated the delegation is not to make any inspection (to Iran's nuclear installations) and will only hold talks with the Iranian officials.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said yesterday the July 11 visit by the IAEA team to Iran is currently the most important issue on the table of nuclear talks. He said no change has been made in the policies and performance of the US officials.

He rejected any link between UN Security Council decision to postpone Iran's peaceful nuclear case and the second round of talks between Iran and US on Iraq. "These are two separate matters," the spokesman said.

Asked whether the US has expressed its readiness to hold the second round of negotiations with Iran on Iraq, he added, "They have not clarified the issue yet." Hosseini stressed, "The idea of timeout is not on agenda of the Islamic Republic of Iran. "Timeout is an old idea raised by different states but it cannot help settle the dispute over Iran's nuclear case." He added, "Tehran stresses on talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)."

Previous Stories:
  Sanctions on Iran not effecting nuclear position   (7/2/2007)
  Iran says uranium enrichment rights central to talks   (6/25/2007)
  Iran ready to pay price to safeguard nuclear rights: MP   (6/12/2007)

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