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IAEA’s insistence on Parchin visit due to international pressure: Iranian atomic chief

26 May 2012 22:15 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Fereidoon Abbasi said that the insistence of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on visiting Iran’s military site of Parchin is due to the pressure mounted by " certain countries," Iran’s Press TV reported on Saturday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Iran has not been convinced and "no documents or reason has been presented to us" to persuade us to arrange a visit to Parchin military site, Abbasi was quoted as saying.

On Tuesday, Yukiya Amano, Director General of the IAEA, said that an agreement on probing suspected work of Iran’s controversial nuclear program was expected to be signed soon.

"There was an important development on the structured approach document on which we have been working since January," Amano told reporters at Vienna’s airport after returning from his one-day trip to Tehran where he held talks with chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.

Amano said the decision was made to reach agreement on the mechanics of giving the IAEA access to sites, scientists and documents it hopes to inspect to address international concerns over the country’ nuclear activities.

"There remain some differences, but Mr. Jalili elaborated that the differences will not be an obstacle to reach an agreement," Amano said.

One priority issue for the IAEA in recent talks with Iran is the agency’s demand for access to Iran’s Parchin military site southeast of Tehran.

Media said the IAEA has received reports that Iran had tested explosives which could be used to set off a nuclear charge.

Iran denied such reports and insisted that access to Parchin would only be granted if Iran and the IAEA agree on certain conditions and steps.

Pointing to Iran’s agreement with the IAEA, Abbasi said Saturday that Tehran seeks to hold talks with the agency, adding that negotiations will still continue regarding the accord to be signed by experts from both sides.