TEHRAN, 22 June 2003 — The head of Iran’s atomic energy program said yesterday his country was ready to cooperate more actively with the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency to dispel doubts about the Islamic republic’s nuclear ambitions. “We will definitely try to cooperate more than before with the IAEA and give them the necessary assurances about Iran’s activities,” Gholamreza Aghazadeh told a news conference.
Aghazadeh said Iran was positive and optimistic about reaching an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency on an additional protocol, which the UN agency has asked Iran to sign to allow more intrusive inspections and at short notice. “Naturally, the way we will choose is the way of cooperation and reaching an acceptable settlement for both sides,” he said.
He also told the news conference Iran was ready to discuss the general issue of environmental samples with the IAEA. Earlier yesterday, Aghazadeh said Iran would not allow UN inspectors to take samples at an alleged nuclear plant, as Washington warned it reserved the right to use military action to stop Tehran making atomic weapons.
The United States has stepped up a campaign to force Iran to come clean over its nuclear ambitions, demanding that it abide by a nuclear non-proliferation treaty and sign the new protocol allowing snap inspections. Iran says its nuclear program is designed for electricity.
UN nuclear agency chief Mohammed El-Baradei said yesterday he was confident Iran would recognize it was in its best interest to work with the United Nations on making clear its nuclear aims. “The more cooperative they are, the more transparent they are, the more confidence they can create in the international community and the quicker we can resolve the whole nuclear issue in Iran, “ El-Baradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told Reuters on the sidelines of an economic meeting in Jordan.
Asked about remarks by Aghazadeh, El-Baradei said: “I would welcome that.” “I read a statement by Aghazadeh yesterday saying Iran will not allow environmental sampling. I think that would have been very unhelpful. I have lots of confidence that Iran will understand that it is in its best interest to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency,” he said.
Meanwhile, Iranian security forces have rounded up dozens of students in recent days in a move which reformist MPs said would exacerbate tension in the wake of a spate of recent pro-democracy protests. Reformist newspapers yesterday said the arrests were carried out by officials wearing plainclothes and the whereabouts of many of the detained students was unknown.
Analysts said the roundup may be aimed at intimidating students to deter them from staging mass rallies to commemorate the violent attack on a Tehran University dormitory by hard-line Islamic vigilantes on July 9, 1999.
