Acceptance Of Additional Protocol By Iran Conditional: AEOI Spokesperson

Tehran, June 24, IRNA – Accepting Additional Protocol by Iran is conditional, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi said on Monday. He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency (ICANA). If all nuclear issues are resolved and sanctions lifted, then Iran will be ready to accept the Additional Protocol under some conditions in order to remove G5+1 concerns, Kamalvandi added. He said in the meantime that Majlis (parliament) will have the final say on whether Iran accepts or rejects the Additional Protocol. The Additional Protocol is a part of the endgame and Iran is willing to implement it in the final stage of a mutually agreed upon nuclear deal if it is ratified by parliament, Kamalvandi underlined. He added that Tehran is committed to remove G5+1 concerns but expects at the same time that its partners recognize its rights to make use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. A comprehensive agreement on nuclear dispute is possible if the other parties to the nuclear talks show good faith, he asserted. Kamalvandi noted that Iran has been quite transparent on technical issues during the talks and the slow progress in drafting the comprehensive agreement is politically-motivated. The Additional Protocol is a legal document granting the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) complementary inspection authority. The voluntary but advanced nuclear safeguards standard was accepted earlier by Iran in 2003 and was adhered to but not officially ratified by Iran’s parliament. The Additional Protocol requires States to provide an expanded declaration of their nuclear activities and grants the Agency broader rights of access to sites in the country./end