TEHRAN, 2 September 2003 — With suspense building over whether Iran will allow snap inspections of its nuclear sites, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday that there is still a week until the UN nuclear watchdog meets to discuss the matter and that people should “wait and see” what Tehran will do.

“We have a week until Sept. 8,” when the International Atomic Energy Agency meets in Vienna, said Hamid-Reza Asefi. “So wait and see whether Iran does or does not sign” an additional protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

An IAEA report on Iran will be presented to the agency’s board of governors in Vienna. Were Iran to be found in breach of its commitments the matter could be referred to the UN Security Council, opening up the possibility of sanctions.

Iran is being pressed to sign the protocol, allowing unannounced UN inspections of its nuclear facilities, by the United States who suspect it is secretly developing nuclear weapons — which Tehran flatly denies.

“No date has been fixed. The Islamic republic will decide in accordance with its national interests,” Asefi added, implying that Tehran will not be bound by the governors’ meeting.

The spokesman reiterated Iran’s “goodwill” in allowing IAEA inspectors to visit nuclear installations recently and opening negotiations on signing the protocol.

“In so far as we have proved our openness and commitment in moving talks forward, we expect others not to allow the council of governor’s decision to be politicized,” Asefi added.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi urged the European Union not to let the IAEA “buckle” under US pressure and refer the case to the UN Security Council.

Tehran has said it is open to signing the protocol as long as the IAEA gives “total” guarantees that inspectors are not given complete freedom of movement and would not violate military secrets.

Asked about the delay in an agreement between Russia and Iran for the supply of fuel for the Bushehr nuclear power plant being built in southern Iran, Asefi said there were “no fundamental problems.”

Russia’s Atomic Energy Ministry said on Friday it would delay until the end of the year the signing of an agreement with Iran under which it would provide fuel to Bushehr on condition that the Iranians return all of the reactor’s spent fuel to Russia for reprocessing.