Iran insists it was open on nuclear programme

IRAN insisted yesterday it was providing full disclosure on its atomic programme to the UN nuclear watchdog, saying it was abiding by agreements in force.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has criticised Iran for hiding sensitive aspects of its nuclear programme, but Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, Pirooz Hosseini, told reporters that Tehran did not say everything in a report last October “because what we announced at that time was based on our obligations under the safeguard agreement” of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Iran then in December signed an additional protocol to the NPT allowing for wider inspections and Hosseini said, “according to the time line of the additional protocol, we are going to provide every information which is necessary for the agency.”

However, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said yesterday he was “seriously concerned that Iran’s October declaration did not include any reference to its possession of P2 centrifuge designs (for making enriched uranium which could be weapon-grade) and related R&D (research and development) which in my view was a setback to Iran’s stated policy of transparency.”

The October declaration was trumpeted by Iran as providing “the full scope of Iranian nuclear activities” including “a complete centrifuge R&D chronology”.