VIENNA, 9 November 2003 — Working to deflect the possibility of international sanctions, a powerful Iranian official affirmed yesterday that his country will allow stringent inspections of its nuclear facilities and will suspend uranium enrichment to eliminate suspicions Tehran is developing nuclear arms.
The promise, made by Hasan Rouhani, who heads Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, comes less than two weeks ahead of a top-level meeting by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Rouhani said he would make an official announcement next week specifying the suspension date.
The agency director general Mohamed El-Baradei also told reporters that Rouhani gave him the assurances during their meeting. “We will also next week get the letter for the conclusion of the additional protocol,” which would allow UN inspectors access to all of Iran’s nuclear activities, El-Baradei said.
“I also was told that next week a letter indicating Iran’s agreement to suspend enrichment activities” was expected, El-Baradei said.
On Nov. 20, the IAEA board of governors will meet to scrutinize a report by El-Baradei on Iran’s past nuclear activities, which the United States says points to a clandestine weapons program. Yesterday’s meeting was held just days before the confidential report is to be given to board member nations.
If the board meeting decides that the report justifies declaring Tehran in violation of the Nonproliferation Treaty, meant to stop the spread of nuclear arms, it will ask the UN Security Council to get involved. It, in turn, could impose sanctions.
