Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 18
By Rahim Zamanov - Trend:
The P5+1 countries have accepted Iran's right to use new generation of centrifuges for research purposes, Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi said, Iranian IRIB News Agency reported on January 18.
Salehi went on to note that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s inspectors will start their work in Iran on January 20.
"Based on the Geneva deal, Iran has agreed to voluntarily stop 20 percent uranium enrichment," Salehi said.
"The visit will be concurrent with the implementation of the Geneva deal itself," Salehi
IAEA inspectors arrived in Tehran early on January 18.
"Based on the understanding we had with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano in six articles, it was agreed that inspectors travel to Iran to visit the Gachin mine," Salehi said earlier in January.
"Iran is committed to the six points upon which it has reached an agreement with Amano," Salehi said.
In November last year, Iran and the IAEA agreed on a roadmap based on which Iran would, on a voluntary basis, allow IAEA inspectors to visit the Arak heavy water plant and the Gachin uranium mine in Bandar Abbas, despite the fact that Tehran is not under such an obligation to do so under the Safeguards Agreement, Press TV reported on January 7.
The voluntary move is a goodwill gesture on the part of Iran to clear up ambiguities over the peaceful nature of its nuclear energy program.
The United States, Israel, and several their allies have frequently accused Iran of pursuing the military objectives in its nuclear energy program.
The IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities, but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's nuclear energy program has been diverted toward non-civilian purposes.