...

IAEA inspectors arrive in Iran to observe work of Arak heavy-water reactor

Iran Materials 7 December 2013 12:54 (UTC +04:00)
Two IAEA inspectors have arrived in Iran to observe the work of country's Arak heavy-water nuclear reactor, ISNA news agency reported on Dec. 7.
IAEA inspectors arrive in Iran to observe work of Arak heavy-water reactor

Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 7

By Temkin Jafarov, Saeed Isayev - Trend:

Two IAEA inspectors have arrived in Iran to observe the work of country's Arak heavy-water nuclear reactor, ISNA news agency reported on Dec. 7.

The IAEA officials have arrived in Iran within the framework of an earlier agreement between Iran and the IAEA. The observation and inspection of the reactor's work is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 9.

Spokesman of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Behrouz Kamalvandi said in November that IAEA experts can visit and monitor the work of Arak heavy water reactor until Dec. 11, prior to next Iran-IAEA talks.

Kamalvandi said Iran will try, in less than a year, to solve all IAEA's concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program.

Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi said on Nov. 11 that this joint statement will become a road map for future cooperation and settlement of unresolved issues.

The joint statement included six paragraphs. According to one of them the IAEA experts are allowed to monitor the Arak heavy-water reactor and Gechin uranium mine, located near the southern port of Bandar Abbas.

Salehi said on Nov. 11 that the reason for allowing IAEA experts to carry out monitoring was Iran's desire to demonstrate willing in talks and not give any reason for others to hinder them, so the IAEA experts could carry out monitoring.

The IAEA, whose mission is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, has been trying to negotiate a so-called structured approach with Iran giving the inspectors access to sites, officials and documents for their long-stalled inquiry.

World powers are monitoring the IAEA-Iran talks for any signs as to whether Tehran, facing intensifying sanctions pressure, may be prepared to finally start tackling mounting international concerns about its nuclear activity.

Iran signed a nuclear deal with the P5+1 group in Geneva on Nov. 24, which signals first positive action step taken in recent years. The U.S. and its Western allies suspect Iran of developing a nuclear weapon - something that Iran denies.

The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stated that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, using nuclear energy for medical researches instead.

Tags:
Latest

Latest