Iran MPs hail nuclear tour plans

Iranian lawmakers say inviting international envoys to tour the country’s nuclear sites is a sign of Tehran’s “sincere” nuclear policy.

Plans for a “visit by foreign diplomats is an efficient step toward reflecting the right news about Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities,” Aliakbar Aqai told IRNA on Thursday.

It will also convince the international community of the truth of remarks made by Iranian officials and scientists, he added.

Tehran has repeatedly refuted Western claims that it is following a military nuclear program, arguing that as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it has the right to use peaceful nuclear energy.

The Iranian parliamentarian also hailed the move as a key solution to foil the West’s tactics in furthering their “evil desires” to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear activities and distort the truth about their non-military nature.

On Tuesday, Iran invited envoys “representing geographical and political groups” in the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit the country’s nuclear sites.

“The invitation of some members of P5+1 group, the European Union, the Group of 77 and the Non-aligned Movement is a new initiative by the Islamic Republic with the aim of making Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities transparent,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters.

Iran’s invitation comes ahead of multifaceted talks with six major world powers, including the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the US, Britain, France, Russia, and China — plus Germany scheduled for late January in Turkey.

“In this visit, foreign diplomats will see firsthand the Iranian scientists’ correct conduct and will inform the world’s people that Iran advocates peace,” said another Iranian MP, Ali Zanjani, on Thursday.

He added that the move would defuse massive media campaigns aimed at tarnishing Iran’s image.

“In this visit it will be clarified that Iran is acting in accordance with the IAEA statutes and that it not only has no fears of inspection by international diplomats, but rather sees it as a valuable opportunity to reflect the truth,” he added.