No Compromise on Security of Nuclear Facilities
IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK
TEHRAN – Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says he has communicated Tehran’s concerns about security of the country’s nuclear facilities to the agency, especially with regard to an IAEA inspector who was prevented from entering an Iranian nuclear site for carrying “suspicious” materials.
Kazem Gharib-Abadi said on Thursday following an extraordinary meeting of the Board of Governors of the IAEA that he had offered a lengthy report on this issue to IAEA’s board, detailing everything that happened from entry of the aforesaid inspector to Iran till the time she left the country.
“I emphasized that Iran has security concerns in this regard and does not intend to violate immunity of IAEA’s inspectors, because we have not violated their rights and are aware of the stipulations of international law and our commitments.”
Iran’s IAEA envoy noted that detectors at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility had issued alarms with regards to this inspector, showing that she was carrying dangerous materials, saying, “Various measures were taken later and detectors were used at various locations, giving the same result, even when they were applied to her handbag.”
Noting that an investigation is underway on this issue in cooperation with the agency, Gharib-Abadi said, “We told members of the IAEA that in view of the past record of acts of sabotage against our nuclear facilities, we will under no circumstances compromise our national security and security of our nuclear facilities, and we insist that the agency must offer us full cooperation to carry this investigation until its final stage.”
He emphasized that the agency has announced in writing that it is ready to cooperate with Iran in the investigation of the incident regarding its inspector and this issue has been welcomed by the Iranian side.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) on Wednesday announced that an inspector of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who was prevented from entering a nuclear site of the Islamic Republic, has left the country.
The AEOI added that the female monitor left her mission unfinished and flew out of Iran after security staff at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility didn’t let her in.
“As it is protocol, all of the IAEA inspectors’ belongings are closely inspected and scanned before they enter any of the country’s nuclear facilities,” read the AEOI statement.
Iran says an IAEA inspector left the country after getting caught trying to carry “suspicious material” into the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.
“Upon this lady inspector’s entry, the security control machines sounded the alarm and denied her entry,” it said, adding that Iran had reported the issue to the IAEA.
Iran also told the international agency in the report that the inspector’s previous admissions at various sites were all scrapped and as a result, she decided to abort her mission and go back to the Austrian capital of Vienna.
Meanwhile Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi said that Iran can meet requirements in Fordow nuclear facility out of waste productions within the next 5 to 6 years.
He made the remarks in concerning session of Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 4th step of Iran’s reduction of its JCPOA commitments and added, “Preliminary session of IAEA held today as a prelude for the main session which will be held tomorrow. Of course, this session is not a new issue while it is held once in a while in order to discuss Iranian nuclear issue.”
He went on to say that Permanent envoy to Vienna-based international organizations, Kazem Gharibabadi will take part in the session with the aim of describing Iran’s positions in this regard.
Totally, AEOI will possess 9,500 SWU (separative work unit), the amount of which is similar to pre-sanctions period, Kamalvandi added.
The gas injection operation of centrifuge chains and collection of enriched uranium in Fordow nuclear site started early minutes on Thursday after transferring the tank containing 2,000kg of UF-6 (uranium hexafluoride) from Shahid Ahmadi Roshan Nuclear Site (Natanz) to Shahid Alimohammadi Nuclear Site (Fordow) and connecting the tank to feeding lines and successfully completion of all relevant technical operations [including final vacuuming of controlling centrifuge machines and valves and checking control and automation systems] and commissioning of collection and completion of passivation operations, he added.
