Spokeswoman: Iran Not to Accept Exceptional Inspection for Striking N. Deal

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham stressed that her country would never accept to undergo an exceptional system of nuclear inspections to strike a deal with the world powers possible.
“We will not comply with an unconventional and exceptional system of inspections and as a country which is a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), they should treat Iran the same way that they do to other countries and we will not be any exception in the nuclear inspection and we have stated this to the negotiating sides in a straightforward manner,” Afkham told reporters in Tehran on Wednesday.

She said Tehran will very seriously stand against any excessive demand by the opposite sides, specially the US, similar to the past, reiterating that only the undertakings to be mentioned in the final text of the agreement will be of value.

Afkham blasted the US officials’ recently made antagonistic remarks against Iran’s nuclear plans and activities, and said, “Such comments won’t influence the Iranian negotiating team’s resolve and will to restore the Iranian nation’s rights and we will not be affected by such propaganda provocation.”

She said that the Iranian negotiators have clearly and seriously discussed the Islamic Republic’s position on the removal of sanctions and inspections with their counterparts from the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany), and added, “Enrichment on Iranian soil is a right that we have had and we are proud of and use forever.”

Asked about Iran’s decision in case the nuclear talks fail, Afkham said high-ranking Iranian officials have worked out all possible scenarios for the success, failure or halt in talks.

“It is wrong to think that the country’s overall fate is interwoven with the comprehensive agreement. We don’t want to strike a deal at any price and what is said in this regard is propaganda hype,” she added.

Afkham further ensured that Tehran is ready to go on with every possible result that might come out of the talks, but stressed that Iran is resolved “to put an end to this fabricated case and unnecessary crisis and have entered the talks with a strong political will on this very basis”.

In relevant remarks on April 9, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei specified conditions for a final nuclear deal with the world powers, and underlined that Iran doesn’t allow any inspection of its defensive and military centers.

“They (the foreigners) shouldn’t be allowed at all to penetrate into the country’s security and defensive boundaries under the pretext of supervision, and the country’s military officials are not permitted at all to allow the foreigners to cross these boundaries or stop the country’s defensive development under the pretext of supervision and inspection,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing a large number of Iranian people in Tehran.

Elaborating on his position on the recent nuclear statement issued by Iran and the G5+1 in Lausanne, Switzerland, he said, “I am neither in favor nor against it since nothing has happened yet and no binding issue has occurred between the two sides.”

Ayatollah Khamenei underscored that he will support a final deal which would guarantee the Iranian nation’s honor and interests, and added, “I am not indifferent to the negotiations but I have not interfered in the details of the negotiations by now and will not interfere in the future either.”

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the necessity for continued progress in the country’s nuclear Research and Development (R&D) and development of the nuclear industry, and said another important issue in the final deal is that “the sanctions should be removed completely on the same day (of the implementation) of any agreement”.

Also in April, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said there is no paragraph or article in the additional protocol to NPT to allow inspection of non-nuclear sites.

Salehi said that the Paragraph 30 under the Article 5 of the NPT Additional Protocol (which has not been yet accepted by Iran and should be approved by the parliament for implementation) allows the inspectors to inspect the vicinities of the non-nuclear sites, but they misinterpret that and intend to enter those sites, which will not be allowed.

“Everyone wishes to present their own interpretations of the nuclear negotiations, but the point to be kept in mind is that the Iranians have still not signed any agreement. The accomplished job so far is the shared understanding over various issues,” he went on to say referring to the Iran-Powers nuclear understanding reached in Lausanne on April 2.

After nine days of hard work in Lausanne, Switzerland, Iran and the G5+1 reached an understanding on April 2 which laid the ground for them to start drafting the final nuclear deal over Tehran’s nuclear energy program ahead of a July 1 deadline.

Reading out a joint statement at a press conference with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in Lausanne on April 2, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said according to the agreement, all the US, EU and UN Security Council sanctions against Iran would be lifted under the final deal.

The delegations of the seven nations are now in New York drafting the final deal.