IRGC official’s comments on inspecting Iran’s military sites denied

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has denied comments attributed to Ramezan Sharif, the IRGC’s spokesman, on inspecting Iran’s military and nuclear sites.

Comments attributed to General Ramezan Sharif on nuclear talks and inspecting Iran’s nuclear and military sites are denied. He has not said anything on his recent press conference in this regard, the official news portal of the IRGC reported July 10.

Iranian media had quoted Sharif as saying on July 9 that the IRGC will ‘by no means’ allow inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect Iran’s military sites.

Sharif had emphasized that Iranian officials will not issue such a permission, as well.

On June 21, the Iranian parliament voted a bill to ban access to military sites and documents and interview with nuclear scientists as part of a possible nuclear deal with world powers.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, within the framework of the safeguard agreement, is allowed to carry out conventional inspections of nuclear sites, the bill states. However, “access to military, security and sensitive non-nuclear sites, as well as documents and scientists, is forbidden.”

Iran Atomic Energy Organization Spokesman Behrooz Kamalvandi said on July 3 that Iran and the IAEA have agreed to set a specific timetable to resolve issues that have remained from the past in the nuclear talks.

Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran is optimistic that the concerns over possible military dimensions (PMD) to its nuclear program will be resolved.

IAEA Secretary General Yukiya Amano’s trip to Tehran was successful and constructive and Iran is willing to cooperate with the IAEA to erase misunderstandings about the PMD, he added.

Iran and the P5+1(the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany) have been engaged in talks in Vienna towards reaching a landmark agreement over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The negotiating sides missed an initial deadline of June 30 and all parties agreed on a new July 7 deadline. However, negotiations will continue for a couple of more days as some issues remain unresolved.

/By Trend/