Araghchi: IAEA inspectors’ entry into Iran was approved by the Supreme National Security Council

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister, referring to remarks by IAEA officials about the inspectors’ entry into Iran, said: “The law passed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament) has conditioned cooperation with the Agency on the decision of the Supreme National Security Council. Therefore, according to the law, all of the Agency’s requests are referred to the SNSC for a decision.”

He continued: “Currently, regarding the fuel replacement at the Bushehr power plant—which must be carried out under the supervision of IAEA inspectors—decisions have been made. Any cooperation will take place strictly within the framework of the parliamentary law and in a way that safeguards the interests of the Iranian nation.”

In relation to today’s remarks in Parliament by the representative of Tehran claiming that the text of a cooperation agreement between Iran and the IAEA on a new modality had been finalized, Araghchi clarified: “No text has yet received final approval. Some views have been exchanged between the two sides, and the IAEA’s positions have been presented several times in writing. In any negotiation, it is natural for both sides to exchange opinions until they eventually reach a conclusion. I do not know where the text mentioned by the honorable representative came from, but it must be said that such a text is not under negotiation or agreement.”