The UN atomic watchdog has no right to demand inspections of sites attacked by the United States and Israel during the June war, said head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, stressing the need for a clear protocol to allow UN inspectors in such facilities.
Speaking to reporters in Tehran, Eslami criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) call for renewed inspections of three nuclear sites hit during the 12-day war, saying Tehran had already allowed inspectors to visit undamaged sites.
On Monday, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi reiterated that Iran must allow inspectors access to the three key nuclear facilities that enrich uranium and that were hit by the US and Israel.
Speaking to RIA Novosti, Grossi said: “The agency’s activities in Iran are very limited. We are only allowed to access sites that were not hit.”
“The other three sites, Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, are even more significant since they still contain substantial amount of nuclear material and equipment, and we need to return there,” he urged.
In another interview with Radio France International (RFI), Grossi said: “Contact with Iran remains in place. We haven’t yet been able to restore cooperation to the required level, but I believe it is critically important.”
The dialogue continues through behind-the-scenes negotiations and confidential contacts, he added.
In response to Grossi’s demands, Eslami emphasized that inspections of facilities hit during the June war require a clear and defined protocol, reported the state-run ISNA agency.
“The UN agency, which has issued no condemnation [regarding Israel and US attacks on Iran in June] and has no established guidelines, has no right to claim it intends to conduct inspections,” he added.
“Pressure exerted on us under the influence of Israel, three European countries, and the United States has no impact on Iran. It is the agency that must answer to Iran and to the world,” he stressed.
Eslami also said that all of Iran’s nuclear facilities are fully registered with and have been under IAEA supervision.
“The current situation demands accountability from the agency, not further questioning of Iran,” he said, calling on the IAEA to clarify its position, explain why no condemnation was issued, and specify what procedures it intends to follow.
Also in Tehran, AEOI spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi said there are currently no IAEA inspections under way, adding that inspections carried out in recent weeks were conducted with the permission of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran and in line with the law on suspending cooperation with the IAEA.
He said all of those inspections were related to industrial matters at the sites that had not been attacked in June.
“Measures must definitely be considered regarding facilities that have been attacked,” he said, stressing that the safeguards agreement does not contain provisions for wartime conditions, and therefore, an understanding must be reached on this issue.
In such circumstances, he added, security becomes the most important matter and negotiations must be conducted with a security-oriented approach.
