Official Criticizes IAEA For Delay In Releasing Report On Explosive Detonators

Tehran, Sept 7, IRNA – Iran Atomic Energy Organization spokesman on Saturday criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency for delay in releasing report about explosive detonators, saying that the report should have been released earlier in May. Talking to IRNA, Behrouz Kamalvandi said that setting timetable for settlement of an issue is not binding and that the three-month deadline for settlement of the issues can spell troubles. Reacting to IAEAˈs latest report, he noted, ˈWe had no agreement over August 25 and we were only committed to observe a three-month timeline in the first step of Iran-IAEA talks.ˈ He noted that Iran has earlier reminded the agency on several occasions that given the complication of the issues, full implementation of the agreement was not possible until August 25, the deadline set by the agency. The agency has not expressed concern about the issue in its report because it was already aware of it, Kamalvandi said, not that the entity has released its report on EBW with delay, as it must be released in May. Iran has never called for setting deadlines for settlement of the issues with the agency since the outset of the talks, he said, adding that Iran had no commitment to the three-month deadline, but, promised to for transparency of the outstanding issues. Asked whether the case of EBW was closed after the IAEA released its relevant report, the official said that the international body has endorsed Iranˈs claim that the issue is of civilian use in oil and gas industries. ˈWe believe that issue of EBW has finished,ˈ he said, noting that based on the latest report by IAEAˈs director, Iran has honored all its commitments to the Safeguards. The agency has also confirmed that Iranˈs nuclear facility is under its full supervision. Not to mention that it has announced that the country has implemented its volunteer measures in line with cooperation with the international body, Kamalvandi said. As per the IAEAˈs latest report, Iran was committed to its obligations in line with cooperation with the nuclear agency and is willing to accelerate the trend to resolve the outstanding issues./end