TEHRAN, Nov 27 (NNN-IRNA) – The Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI), Behrouz Kamalvandi, said that, Iran is determined to advance with its “peaceful” nuclear programme, while cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“World powers have politicised part of Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme, but Iran is pursuing a peaceful nuclear industry,” Kamalvandi said.
Criticising what he called “inappropriate conduct” of the UN nuclear watchdog, towards the Islamic Republic’s nuclear issue, he said, the agency should treat Iran’s programme rationally and professionally.
All of Iran’s nuclear programme is within the international regulations, but some are trying to raise charges against Iran, he added.
Referring to the recent visit of the IAEA Director General, Rafael Grossi, to Iran’s capital, Tehran, he said that Iran’s right in pursuing a “peaceful” nuclear programme should be realised.
About the IAEA’s expectations to monitor Iran’s nuclear sites, and particularly about the TESA centrifuge-parts producing centre in Karaj city, Kamalvandi said, at present, the agency’s monitoring practices in Iran are maintained at the safeguard agreement level, and the concept of safeguards means that “we provide access to nuclear material information at that sites which contain nuclear material.”
“We do not have nuclear materials in Karaj workshop. Therefore, this place will not be subject to safeguard regulations,” he stressed, according to the AEOI website.
The Karaj workshop “proudly produces centrifuges, advanced high-capacity centrifuges, and Iran does not need to get permission from an institution, because, according to Article 4 of the Treaty of the Non-Proliferation (NPT), these activities are Iran’s right,” Kamalvandi said.
Regarding the IAEA reaction about the attack on the Karaj workshop, the AEOI spokesman said, “We asked the IAEA to seriously condemn this sabotage act (which Iran believes was done by Israel in June), at least because the IAEA’s installed equipment were destroyed” at the attack.
According to the AEOI report, Kamalvandi said, “We now have more than 30 kg of 60-percent enriched uranium, and in the next one or two days, the amount of 20-percent enriched uranium will double the capacity mandated by parliament.”
According to the parliament’s bill, the AEOI should produce 120 kg of 20-percent enriched uranium within a year, after the implementation of the mandate which began on Jan 4, 2021.
The Iranian authorities said, the boost in uranium enrichment, along with other measures to reduce some commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, is a reaction to the U.S. withdrawal from the deal and the failure of European signatories to protect Iran’s interests amid U.S. energy and banking sanctions.
Earlier, the AEOI spokesman said that, some of the issues between the UN nuclear watchdog and Tehran has remained to be resolved in the future.
“Our interactions and cooperation with the IAEA are continuing, and we will follow up with them in the days and weeks to come,” Kamalvandi added.
Grossi travelled to Iran on Monday evening and met Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian and head of the AEOI, Mohammad Eslami, over outstanding issues between Iran and IAEA, in the run-up to the Vienna nuclear talks scheduled to resume on Nov 29.
