Iran Signs Pact Allowing Inspection of Its Nuclear Sites
By CHRISTINE HAUSER and NAZILA FATHI
ran signed an agreement today allowing inspections of its nuclear sites, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
Iran's former representative at the agency, Ali Akbar Salehi, and Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the agency, signed the protocol in Vienna, the agency's spokesman, Peter Rickwood, said by telephone.
The IAEA is a United Nations organization that promotes atomic energy and monitors its use in military applications.
Iran's Vice President, Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, had told reporters on Wednesday that Iran would sign the agreement to demonstrate Iran's commitment to peaceful uses of nuclear power.
"Iran has decided to sign the protocol to prove that the Iranian nuclear program is for civilian purposes," said Mr. Aghazadeh, who is also the head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, in remarks carried by the Islamic Republic News Agency on Wednesday. "Signing the protocol will also end the propaganda campaign against the nuclear program."
On Oct. 21, Iran agreed under international pressure to sign the additional protocol to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. During a visit by the foreign ministers of Britain, Germany and France, Iran agreed to suspend its uranium enrichment program and allow unfettered inspections but demanded technical cooperation for its peaceful nuclear program.
On Wednesday, Mr. Aghazadeh called on the three European nations to help Iran gain the release of nuclear equipment previously bought by Iran.
The IAEA condemned Iran's 18-year nuclear program last month and said it had produced small amounts of plutonium, which is needed for making nuclear weapons. The agency, seeking to encourage recent Iranian openness, stopped short of urging action by the Security Council.
Russia, Iran's major nuclear partner, refused this week to deliver nuclear fuel to Iran unless it signed the protocol. Russia helped Iran build a nuclear reactor in the southern city of Bushehr.
Christine Hauser reported from New York for this article, and Nazila Fathi reported from Tehran. |
