No evidence suggesting diversion in Iran’s nuclear program: Iranian envoy

TEHRAN, Nov. 13 (MNA) – Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency said there is no evidence showing that Iran’s nuclear program has diverted to a nuclear weapons production. Ali Asghar Soltanieh made the remarks on November 11 during a closed-door meeting of IAEA member states in Vienna. According to Reuters, the IAEA showed letters and satellite images on Friday as part of evidence pointing to military dimensions to Iran’s atomic activities, but Tehran’s envoy dismissed it as “lousy” intelligence work. He also described the documents as “fabricated” and said that the IAEA’s approach has left no room for cooperation. Reuters also reported that Herman Nackaerts, head of nuclear inspections worldwide at the IAEA, made an hour-long presentation of the IAEA’s latest report on Iran’s nuclear program at the meeting. Nackaerts displayed procurement-related correspondence involving Iranian officials as well as satellite images of the Parchin military site southeast of Tehran. In response to the claims, Soltanieh said there were no nuclear-related activities at Parchin. “There is no proof that Iranian activities are toward military purposes,” he told reporters after the meeting. “We do have conventional activities (at Parchin) and this has nothing to do with nuclear.” Saying the report had damaged the UN agency’s credibility, Soltanieh added, “This kind of lousy job of intelligence created problems for all member states.” He said the report represented an “historical mistake” that had “poisoned the atmosphere” in efforts to resolve the nuclear row diplomatically. He also dismissed a finding in the IAEA’s report of a “discrepancy” of nearly 20 kg (44 lb) of nuclear material at a site in Tehran, the Jabr Ibn Hayan Multipurpose Research Laboratory. The report said UN inspectors carrying out an inventory check of natural uranium metal and process waste at the facility measured 19.8 kg less than the operator’s declaration. The IAEA said it was working with Iran to resolve the issue. Soltanieh said in response to a question, “It was explained today. These are technical things ... absolutely not an issue.”