Baku, Azerbaijan, April 4
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
The spokesman of the Iranian Guardian Council Nejatollah Ebrahimian said that in case the parliament requests an interpretation of law regarding signing the NPT Additional Protocol, the council will offer its interpretation.
"So far no entity has made such a request, though," the official added, Fars news agency reported April 4.
Ebrahimian made the statement in light of the recent framework agreement between Iran and the group P5+1 (the US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) made in Lausanne, Switzerland April 2.
Iran and the six world powers, accompanied by the EU, reached a political framework for the ongoing nuclear talks on April 2.
The sides are to reach a comprehensive deal by July 1, in which Iran would restrict its nuclear program to some extend as demanded by the powers, and in return, the international sanctions on the Islamic Republic's economy would be lifted.
The Guardian Council spokesman said any Iranian entity with the power to interpret the law is free to ask The Guardian Council for an official interpretation of the Iranian Constitution on the issue.
According to law, the parliament's approval is required for Iran to sign the Additional Protocol.
If Iran signs the protocol, the International Atomic Energy Organization will be able to carry out closer scrutiny on the country's nuclear activities.
In 2003, the Iranian nuclear negotiation team, headed by now president Hassan Rouhani, decided to sign the protocol as a trust-building voluntary action.
But shortly after that, as Iran's case was brought before the UN Security Council, the parliament snapped back the action and obliged the government to less cooperation with the IAEA.
Reports say the Iranian negotiators are likely after the Lausanne agreement to sign the Additional Protocol as a voluntary move, although the agreement does not mandate that.