New chapter Begins In Iran-IAEA Co-op: Soltanieh

Vienna, June 5, IRNA – A new chapter has begun in Iran-IAEA cooperation, the country's permanent IAEA envoy, Ali-Asghar Soltanieh said here on Monday. Soltanieh made the remarks in interview with IRNA. “Third parties should not interfere in the Iran-IAEA technical cooperation to resolve the nuclear issue; this kind of noise and allegations are baseless,” the envoy underlined. Soltanieh warned against politicizing technical issues. "Certain elements are trying to distort the constructive atmosphere of cooperation between Iran and the agency through political controversy," he said, in a clear reference to Iran's western foes. The official added that the Monday meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors is a habitual session of the member states and the release of any kind of resolution has not been scheduled for today's meeting. In case of recent nuclear talks between Iran and G5+1, it should be noted that Secretary of Supreme National Security Council of Iran (SNSCI), Saeed Jalili had two-day intensive talks with the G5+1, headed by the EU Foreign Policy Chief, Catherine Ashton, on Iran nuclear issue. The EU Foreign Policy Chief, who headed the delegations of the six world powers in negotiations with Tehran, announced in the joint press conference with Jalili that the two sides made progress and held positive talks in Baghdad on Wednesday and Thursday. Secretary of Supreme National Security Council of Iran also said on last Thursday that the Tehran-G5+1 talks were held in a good atmosphere. The Baghdad meeting came after Iran and the six world powers resumed talks in Istanbul, Turkey, last month and agreed to meet again in the Iraqi capital on May 23. Both sides are due to continue their negotiations in the Russian capital, Moscow, on June 18 and 19. Washington and its Western allies accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program, while they have never presented any corroborative evidence to substantiate their allegations. Iran denies the charges and insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Tehran stresses that the country has always pursued a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel would eventually run dry. Despite the rules enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entitling every member state, including Iran, to the right of uranium enrichment, Tehran is now under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment. Tehran has dismissed the West's demands as politically tainted and illogical, stressing those sanctions and pressures merely consolidate Iranians’ national resolve to continue the path./end