IAEA to play key role in inspections under future agreement with Iran - Russia foreign ministry

MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is to play a key role in inspections under the future agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday after a meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards Tero Varjoranta. "Special attention was focused on the negotiating process on the settlement of the situation around the Iranian nuclear programme and preparations for IAEA’s participation in ensuring inspections of the implementation of the agreement that is being drawn," the ministry said. "The Russian side commended the agency’s efforts in ensuring verification of Iran’s implementation of its liabilities in the nuclear sphere under the joint action plan adopted in November 2013," the ministry noted. "It was stressed that the IAEA is to play a key role in conducting inspection activities under the possible future agreement of comprehensive settlement of the situation around the Iranian nuclear programme. In the interests of stable functioning of the IAEA, it is important to ensure that such inspection activities were based on the generally recognized practice of the use of the agency’s guarantees." "The side also discussed other aspects of the IAEA’s activities in the areas of the use of guarantees, including the problem of reforming the system of guarantees, the development of cooperation between Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency in various spheres," the ministry added. Read more