The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency says it has not been given convincing reasons for the International Atomic Energy Agency’s insistence on visiting the Parchin Military Base.
According to Iranian media, Fereydoon Abbasi, the head of Iran’s atomic agency, said on Saturday: “The IAEA is showing some interest in visiting Parchin Military Base under pressure from some countries that want the agency to investigate this issue, but we have not been convinced in this regard.”
“We have not received sufficient proof or reasons to arrange a visit at Parchin, which is a military complex,” Abbasi added.
In his comprehensive report, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano noted that his agency made an official request for access to Parchin in a letter dated May 2.
The report adds that the IAEA’s letter pointed out that satellite pictures reveal that buildings on this site, which had been inactive for some time, are now fully active.
He also indicates that the agency received certain intelligence regarding this site in November of 2011 that supports suspicions regarding Iran’s nuclear activities.
Abbasi commented on the fact Amano’s report states that it cannot confirm that Iran’s nuclear program is completely peaceful, saying: “The head of the agency always raises this issue, and this sentence is one that is always in the report, as usual.”
Abbasi referred to the controversial issue of uranium enrichment, saying: “We do not ask for permission when we want to provide for the needs of our country. We are open to negotiations as we have said before; you can provide the 20-percent-enriched uranium.”
The IAEA report indicates that traces of 27-percent-enriched uranium were found at Iranian atomic sites, but diplomats have indicated that those traces could have been produced by technical production glitches.
