Asefi: IAEA official to visit Iran on nuclear issues
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said yesterday that a deputy of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief, Olli Heinonen, is scheduled to visit Tehran.
Speaking to domestic and foreign reporters in this week's briefing session, he said that there is no question of Heinonen's visit being called off given that his schedule has not yet been specified.
Stressing that the doors are open to IAEA inspectors, he added that Heinonen is welcome to visit Iran any time.
In response to the following three questions: "Will Iran suspend enrichment in its territory?," "Did Iran take a new proposal to Russia?" and "Does Iran possess a P2 centrifuge?," he said that Iran will not give up its right to uranium enrichment.
Concerning the second and third questions, he replied that Iran brought up its proposal in Moscow and that P2 centrifuge has never been used in Iran. He added that Iran has just used P1 centrifuge, of which the IAEA is aware.
Concerning the use of P2 centrifuge in future, he said that it depends on the decisions to be taken noting that the NPT members are entitled to use this type of centrifuge and that no party can ever ban its use by Iran.
In reply to another question about the prospect of Iran becoming the 11th country possessing nuclear technology, the official said, "It is obvious that Iran is one of the limited countries which have developed such a technology."
Turning to the international tender for two more nuclear power plants, he said that given the need for a few more of this type of power plants, the issue will be pursued through tenders and the outcome will be declared.
Asked about the West's outlook on ElBaradei's report being harsh, he replied that such comments prove that the West is exerting pressure on the IAEA chief.
He pointed to the fact that the former reports released by the agency have underlined that Iran has not deviated from the peaceful nuclear path and said that these prove that the West is pressurizing the IAEA, which is a cause of concern for Iran.
Today, Deputy Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council ALi Hosseini-Tash said enrichment suspension has nothing to do with confidence building measures and referred to suspension of enrichment process as "red line", adding that the call for suspension is considered as depriving the country of its nuclear right, and
"Iran's policy towards the visit of the UN nuclear watchdog inspection groups is clearly based on cooperation with the inspectors within the framework of the relevant laws, to which we are currently committed, namely those of NPT and Additional Protocol
Responding to a question that called on Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi to promise that Iran will not suspend its nuclear activities even for one hour, he said, "We are determined not give up our rights to nuclear energy and suspension of relevant activities is not on our agenda. The enrichment process is irreversible, be it for an hour, a minute or a second."
