Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's allegations against the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday come ahead of expected talks with world powers in the coming weeks over Iran’s nuclear program.
Ahmadinejad has said major powers are against solving the controversy surrounding Iran’s nuclear program, state television reported.
“In the next few days, the dialogue will commence but our experience shows that they are not seeking to solve the issue,” Ahmadinejad said, referring to upcoming talks with six countries over Tehran’s nuclear drive.
“From our side the issue has already been solved and we will continue our peaceful nuclear activities. The Western countries are arrogant and do not take others into account.”
The talks are aimed at allaying Western concerns that Iran’s nuclear program is masking a weapons drive under the guise of a civilian program, something Tehran denies.
Iran has proposed the talks be held in Istanbul on Nov. 23 or Dec. 5. Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany agree on Istanbul, but have proposed a date of Nov. 15. The final date is yet to be fixed.
Ahmadinejad questioned again the mandate of the six powers. “What is the basis of this group and based on which law it was formed,” he asked. “If it consists of the five UN Security Council members, then what is Germany doing here? We welcome Germany’s presence, but then we say that for the reason Germany is in the talks, others should also be in.”
Iran has previously said that allies Brazil and Turkey be involved in these talks.
The Iranian leader said Tehran will not accept the so-called additional protocol because it would place its nuclear activities under IAEA supervision.
IAEA chief Yukiya Amano told the UN General Assembly this week that “Iran has not provided the necessary cooperation to permit the agency to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities.”
The IAEA wants Iran to implement what it calls the additional protocol, which permits unfettered inspections beyond declared nuclear sites to ferret out any covert atomic activity.
“The acceptance of the additional protocol would be tantamount to placing all of our nuclear activities under the supervision of the IAEA which would in turn pass our information to America,” Ahmadinejad said. “We said we would not accept this protocol.”
Iran’s relations with the IAEA have become more tense since Amano took office late last year. He has adopted a blunter approach than his predecessor Mohamed El-Baradei, including stating in a report that intelligence indicates Iran could be trying to develop a nuclear-armed missile.
At a meeting of the IAEA board in September, Amano accused Iran of hampering the agency’s work by barring experienced inspectors. Iran said two inspectors it had banned from entering the country had provided false information about its work.
Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that Iran’s right to nuclear capabilities was non-negotiable. But European Union diplomats in Brussels said they believed he was not closing the door altogether on discussion of Iran’s nuclear program.
