IAEA should comment on Iran’s activities not 5+1: Iranian FM

TEHRAN, Feb. 6 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that commenting on Iran’s nuclear activities falls with the ambit of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and not the 5+1 group (the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany). Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Salehi commented on the recent trip that an IAEA delegation made to Iran, saying that it had nothing to do with the 5+1 group. A high-level delegation of the IAEA, headed by Herman Nackaerts, the IAEA deputy director general and the head of the IAEA Department of Safeguards, arrived in Iran on January 29 for a three-day visit and held talks with Iranian officials on the issues of concern to the UN nuclear watchdog. Salehi said that the first step toward settling the disagreements was taken during their trip. He also said that Iran and the IAEA will continue their negotiations to achieve understanding during the next trip that agency’s officials plan to make to Iran. Iranian and IAEA officials will hold a meeting in Tehran from February 21 to 22. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has announced its views to the members of the agency’s delegation, and they should take the next steps during their future trip to Iran,” Salehi stated. Iran to announce date, venue for 5+1 talks Elsewhere in the interview, he said that the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, will send a letter to Ashton, who represents the six major powers in nuclear negotiations with Iran, announcing a date and venue for talks.