Iran calls on IAEA to announce its questions officially

Head of IRI Atomic Energy Organization elaborating on horizon of AEO cooperation with IAEA emphasized Iran would continue producing 20% enriched uranium and does not intend to halt that process for sure, IRNA reported.

The head of IRI AEO Fereidoun Abbasi-Davani made the comment in an exclusive interview with a number of IRNA reporters in his office, elaborating on programs of the AEO and the achievements of the 9th and the 10th governments in nuclear field, arguing, "The revolutionary attitude of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been a dynamizing factor in Iran’s nuclear industries."

The Vice President said that construction of new nuclear reactors is at drafting the proforma invoice level with Russia; the NPT measures adopted in Fardo Nuclear Facilities are similar to those adopted in Natanz Facilities; the Bushehr Nuclear Plant would be put to use in November 2011 in the presence of the president; and the amount of the produced 20% enriched uranium inside Iran has already exceeded the quantity needed for Tehran Research Reactor (TRR)…, among other points.

20% enrichment process transferred to Fardo

The Vice President said that the 3.5% and the 20% enrichment processes are both actively proceeding at Natanz and Fardo facilities, adding, "Fardo site is in quite similar conditions as the Natanz site and the NPT measures applied there, too, are similar to those in Natanz."

Abbasi meanwhile reiterated, "In production of the 20% enriched uranium we have already exceeded the required amount for the TRR."

The top official at Iran’s nuclear program in response to a question on the process of enrichment at Fardo Complex and the reason why the 20% enrichment has been transferred from Natanz to that center said, "We did so because the enrichment facilities at Natanz were not safe and the fuel production for TRR and for Iran’s future reactors call for production of more 20% enriched uranium, therefore we transferred our entire 20%

No intention for enriching beyond 20%

The head of the country’s Nuclear Energy Organization emphasizing that the time tables for the construction of the country’s future nuclear reactors would definitely be handed to the concerned officials at the IAEA, said, "The propagations and claims of the West on Iran’s intention to enrich uranium beyond 20% are erroneous and false news, as we have neither any plans, nor any intention to do so."

Abbasi meanwhile reiterated, "We all the same intend to increase the quantity of our 20% enrichment program somehow so that we would be able to stockpile a reasonable amount of that percentage so that if in the process of the production our system would be damaged, or would be in need of repairs, we would possess the required materials at hand."
No secret point on Fardo

The Head of AEO said that the Fardo enrichment facility is quite a common site, adding, "There is no secret point regarding this site, just as is the case for the Natanz site, for the IAEA, and the NPT measures adopted in Natanz are all adopted in Fardo, as well." Abbasi reiterated, "The security measures required that the sensitive part of the facilities would be transferred to underground buildings."

The Vice President emphasized, "The agency is informed about the minutest details about the extent of enrichment and in addition about the places we keep our products. They also seal those places and at times that we need to use some of those products, and we initially inform the IAEA."

Separating the 3.5% and the 20% enrichment programs makes it easier for IAEA

Abbasi emphasized that the Fardo site is neither of any special importance, nor problematic at all, arguing, "Quite contrary, in order to make it easier for the IAEA to inspect our enrichment programs, we have separated the 3.5% enrichment from the 20% program.

The IRNA reporter referred to the agreements reached between the Treaties Deputy of the IAEA and the AEO on Ferdo, asking, "Are there any other measures besides inspections of the IAEA inspectors and setting up cameras?"

Abbasi replied, "The measures adopted at Fardo are similar to those applied at Natanz and the only difference is that the agency’s control over Fardo is focused on 20% enriched uranium, but in Natanz on 3.5%."

Does Iran have any plans to expand the Natanz site in the future?

The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization meanwhile emphasized that the enrichment process at Natanz site would mightily continue, reiterating that that site would definitely be expanded in the future."

Abbasi meanwhile ruled out the rumors on shutting down the Natanz site keeping in mind that the 20% enrichment is transferred entirely to Fardo, saying, "I emphasize that the spread rumors on shutting down Natanz have been due to misconceptions, as we have no such intention. The Vice President added, "The activities at Natanz are at the level of the machines installed there, and they would proceed. We have no plan for shutting down that site."

The IRI AEO Chief once again emphasized, "In order to provide fuel for the country’s future reactors we need to manufacture the required machines and install them, reiterating, "People had better end propagating about Iran’s intention to shut down Natanz, as that site would mightily continue its activities and we would definitely expand it in the future."

Details on presence of Amano’s deputy in Tehran

The IRNA reporter asked the AEO Chief: keeping in mind that the NPT deputy of the IAEA was recently in Iran and he visited Iran’s nuclear facilities, what agreements have we reached with the agency?

Abbasi replied, "He had come to Iran along with two of the managers at his affiliated office at the IAEA and the visit was following my meeting with Mr. Amano in Vienna, as a prelude for further negotiations with the agency."

The Vice President said, "Since Iran’s nuclear sites are scattered across the country, the IAEA delegation during its five-day visit of Iran had visits of the Fardo site, the Isfahan fuel production factory, the IR40 Arak Reactor, the heavy water factory in its vicinity, and the Bushehr Nuclear Reactor and the stages leading to its being put to use."

Abbasi reiterated, "In that visit there were no talks on inspections, because the IAEA inspectors are present at Iran’s entire nuclear sites and centers and they are informed about every detail of our activities."

Information of the agency’s Treaties Deputy were updated

The Vice President said that beginning negotiations with the IAEA was one of the objectives of the visit, adding, "Another objective of the visit was updating the information of the IAEA Treaties Deputy Mr. Herman Nacartes about Iran’s nuclear facilities, because he formerly used to visit Iran along with Olli Heinonen, the former IAEA Treaties Deputy."

The head of Iran’s AEO said, "We provided more details about our country’s nuclear facilities for Mr. Nacartes in this visit, including permitting him to visit the heavy water facilities of Arak."

He added, "The dispatched IAEA delegation was meanwhile informed of the research done on production of the new generation of Iran’s centrifuges and the inspectors were familiarized with the activities and amount of progress in that respect."

Abbasi meanwhile emphasized, "Of course these issues had not been secret work, because on the one hand there are daily space inspections every day on the one hand, and on the other hand the IAEA inspectors are present at Iran’s entire nuclear facilities and a group of them, too, arrive in Iran frequently and present their reports to the IAEA Chief."

The agency should officially announce its questions

The IRNA reporter asked: Was Amano’s deputy in his visit of Tehran and in the course of the negotiations he had with you convinced that the agency must before beginning a new round of cooperation with Iran confirm that the 2007 modality is completed and flawlessly perfect?

Abbasi replied, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has acted in accordance with that modality and provided replied to the entire question put forth in it, in accordance with Iran’s agreement with the agency."

The AEO Chief reiterated, "The matter is resolved from our point of the view and we emphasized in our meeting with the IAEA Secretary General Yokia Amano that the agency should declare that that subject is finalized."

He reiterated, "Unfortunately Amano in his letters, unlike the past procedure, emphasizes on a series of new claims whose list has not been provided in advance for Iran to be responded to."

The Head of the Atomic energy Organization added, "They say there are issues related to the matter that they have studies and it is necessary for Iran to provide answers to them."

The Vice President reiterated, "So long as the cases and the questions are no officially delivered to us, we too, cannot officially answer them."


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