UN atomic watchdog chief to hold talks with Iran on its nuclear programmes
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency will go to Tehran next week for talks on Iran’s nuclear programme following an agency call for environmental samplings and enhanced inspections in the face of the country’s failure to disclose certain nuclear material and activities.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced in Vienna today that Director General Mohamed ElBaradei had accepted Iran's invitation to hold further talks on the implementation of IAEA safeguards agreements and meetings are scheduled with Iranian authorities in Tehran on 9 July.
“Talks principally will focus on outstanding issues identified in the Director General's report and in the Board Statement,” IAEA said.
On 19 June the IAEA Board called on Iran to allow environmental sampling of alleged enrichment activities and agree to enhanced inspections of its nuclear programmes after Mr. ElBaradei reported that it had failed to report material and activities and needed to quickly implement an additional international agreement in order to provide credible assurances regarding the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities.
He noted that corrective actions were being taken in cooperation with the Iranian authorities, but called on the country to “conclude and bring into force an additional protocol at an early date, in order to enhance the Agency’s ability to provide credible assurances regarding the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities.”
Following up on Mr. ElBaradei’s report, the Board adopted a statement urging Iran to “promptly and unconditionally conclude and implement an additional protocol to its Safeguards Agreement, in order to enhance the Agency’s ability to provide credible assurances regarding the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities, particularly the absence of undeclared material and activities.”
Iran is a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which the IAEA is entrusted with verifying. The additional protocols aim to enhance IAEA’s ability to provide “credible, comprehensive assurances” regarding all NPT States. So far only 35 countries have brought additional protocols into force.