Iran won't take more IAEA obligations

Iran says despite offering "full supervision" over the country's nuclear activities to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Tehran will not accept any further obligations, Press TV reported.

On Monday, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Fereydoun Abbasi said Iran has offered to give IAEA full supervision over the country's nuclear activities if "sanctions [imposed against Tehran] are lifted and mutual obligations are met."

Answering a question on Tuesday about whether Iran plans to accept the Additional Protocol, Abbasi said "our cooperation with the agency is as stipulated by the standards and regulations, provided that they observe our rights, but we will not accept further obligations."

Iran initially implemented the Additional Protocol voluntarily in 2007, but the interference of the UN Security Council (UNSC) in the country's nuclear case prompted Iran's Majlis (parliament) to stop implementation.

The US and its allies accuse Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program, and used this pretext to pressure the UNSC into imposing a fourth round of sanctions against Iran in 2010.

Iran, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the IAEA, insists on its legal right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.


/Trend/