Iran’s envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency says the delays in the nuclear talks have been caused by the agency’s failure to provide evidence that points to any suspicion regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
Ali Asghar Soltanieh told ISNA that all negotiations with the agency have to be based on the set regulations of the country and that Iran has repeatedly proven that “all claims and allegations have been politically motivated and aimed at destroying the cooperative atmosphere in which Iran and the agency have been cooperating.”
Soltanieh stressed that the negotiations with the IAEA in the past month have been in “good faith and aimed at setting a legitimate framework for cooperation.”
He added: “We insist on receiving the evidence that some countries have handed to the agency to make allegations against Iran.”
Western countries have accused Iran of pursuing military aims in its nuclear program, but Iran has continuously denied the accusations and insists that its nuclear program is peaceful.
The IAEA recently published its latest report on Iran’s nuclear program, in which the nuclear watchdog writes that 2012 has not been fruitful in terms of resolving the nuclear issues with Iran.
The head of the IAEA team negotiating with Iran has said that major differences with Iran still remain, which have impeded reaching an agreement.
Soltanieh has accused the IAEA leadership of being heavily influenced by the views of the United States and its allies.
Soltanieh has been quoted as saying that the recent IAEA report is repetitive in nature, making unfounded accusations against Iran without any shred of evidence.
He stressed that the recent report “states explicitly that Iran’s nuclear program has no deviation toward military aims, and Iran has created no obstacles for its inspection.”
The IAEA has asked to inspect Iran’s Parchin Military Base, saying it has received intelligence that nuclear tests might have been carried out there. Iran has so far refused inspection of the site, saying Parchin is not a nuclear site and inspection of military bases cannot be carried out without necessary justifications.
