Iran proceeding with nuclear activities while it talks with Europeans
Top Iranian officials said today that Iran is moving ahead with its decision to resume activities at Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility.
Chairman of the Publicity and Information Dissemination Committee of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Aqa-Mohammadi told IRNA that Iran has not started activities at Isfahan UCF yet as it waits for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors because the whole thing has to be carried out under the IAEA surveillance, adding Iran informed the IAEA of its decision on Monday and is not going to change it.
"He said Iran is going to continue its nuclear talks with Europe. He further expressed regret that western countries were trying to insinuate ambiguities to influence Iran's firm decision in resuming UCF activities," IRNA reported.
"On IAEA chief, Mohammed ElBradie's call for the postponement of the unsealing of Isfahan's UCF by two days, he said Iran has already informed the agency of its decision and the IAEA is only duty-bound to act within the framework of its responsibilities and other issues are irrelevant to it.
Describing resumption of activities at UCF as a natural and normal measure, he said Iran's recent decision could in no way be interpreted as an attempt against the EU-3, IRNA reported. "Iran still looks at Europe as its partner and will continue to negotiate with the European countries," he stressed.
Aqa-Mohammadi expressed "Iran's readiness to negotiate with Europe about the UCF activities as well as the selling of its products based on its own proposals or those of Europe. Iran submitted a letter to the IAEA in Vienna on resumption of the activities of Isfahan UCF on Monday.
Based on the Paris agreement, the three European states (France, Germany and Britain) were supposed to present their proposal to Iran by the end of July," IRNA reported.
Meantime, The US White House spokesman Scott McClellan said yesterday "Right now the Europeans are seeking clarification about what Iran's intentions are,." The EU-3 also issued a statement which, he said describes Iran's decision as "an unnecessary and damaging step."
"Iran made an agreement, the Paris agreement... which called for Iran to suspend their uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities while the negotiations are ongoing," he said. "The Europeans, along with the United States, believe that Iran should adhere to the Paris agreement and continue to work with the Europeans to resolve this issue." If Iran chooses to violate the Paris agreement, McClellan said the Bush administration would "have to look to the [U.N.] Security Council," and said the United States would be talking to the Europeans about doing so.
It is not clear how political the role being played by the International Atomic Energy Agency has become, as the agency is seen by some as interjecting into political decisions and creates delays and comments on member countries' legal nuuclear activities. IRNA reported that "The UN nuclear watchdog Monday called on Iran to wait for the installation of additional surveillance equipment at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility before resuming activities there. The UN agency entrusted with curbing the spread of nuclear weapons called on Iran to continue negotiating with the European Union (EU) and not to take any action that could undermine agency's inspections following its decision to resume uranium conversion as of August 2."
Head of Propagation and Information Committee of the country's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) emphasized told IRNA Monday, "Iran's decision to resume nuclear activities at Isfahan Nuclear Complex is a national decision adopted by the system's top officials in the presence of the Supreme Leader." According to the decision, the seal of Isfahan's UCF Nuclear Complex was supposed to be broken on Monday evening in the presence of the International Atomic Energy Agency's representative in Iran, following presentation of Iran's prior written notice to IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei on the matter. Aghamohammadi added, "The heads of the system unanimously declared at that meeting that August 1st would be Iran's unchangeable deadline, deciding that the current trend of nuclear talks is against the country's national interests, and that a solid response was needed against the continuation of that sick trend."
"It is against pure logic and international norms to refer a country's case to the UN Security Council due to ending a temporary suspension, under close supervision of the IAEA." Aghamohammadi added, "Any other negative effects due to this move, too, are out of question, unless they would be determined to treat us based on a different set of rules and regulations, which is a different issue."
IRNA reported that Aghamohammadi added "If the Europeans would aim at raising an unnecessary hue and cry once again today and create an unjust, severe atmosphere against us, they would naturally break all the bridges that both sides have built relying on painstaking efforts, reconstruction of which would be too tough." He emphasized, "The US and Western threats cannot deprive Iran of its natural national rights and we believe Iran's quite natural move is made based on sound logic. Many people expected us to take this step a lot earlier and we do not even expect any IAEA member to ask for an emergency meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog to survey the matter."