Iran rejects IAEA request for inspecting Parchin

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said the Islamic Republic has rejected a request by the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect the country’s Parchin nuclear facilities.

Speaking at a weekly press conference, Afkham said Iran has in the past clarified its position on the subject and that there has been no policy change, Fars news agency reported May 20.

The IAEA visited the site twice in 2005 in a voluntary cooperation by Iran to build trust with the world community.

In mid-2014, an explosion occurred in the site, which Western powers, the US in particular, used to raise doubt about the nature of the activities carried out there. Iranian officials, however, said the “fire” was the result of “chemical reactions of flammable material”.

While engaged in talks with Tehran to reach a final agreement on Iran's nuclear program, the group P5+1 (the US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) has been pushing an idea to gain more access not only to the country’s nuclear facilities, but military and other centers.

Iran has strongly rejected the idea, stressing that visiting military sites is a red line with the Islamic Republic.

Tehran has also said that its voluntary cooperation with the IAEA for inspecting the nuclear sites does not mean granting the international organization unlimited access to its facilities. Tehran stresses adherence to international norms and regulations.

However, Head of Iran Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi said April 26 that it is possible that Iran would allow the IAEA access to non-nuclear sites under conditions.

Back home, Iranian nuclear negotiators face the parliament that has so far not deemed it necessary to approve the Additional Protocol to the NPT.

In a recent move last week, Iranian lawmakers even tried to retaliate against the US Senate’s move in giving the Congress a say on a final agreement by drafting a similar bill that would oblige its government to okay the deal with the legislative body before approval.

/By Trend/