Iran’s IAEA envoy denies IPS interview on enrichment

Iran’s ambassador to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has denied false remarks the Inter Press Service (IPS) attributed to him about the Islamic Republic’s nuclear energy program, Press TV reports.

“Let me tell you! I’ve taken part in no interviews about [the country’s uranium] enrichment and relevant issues with anyone in the past one month. I’ve not said such a thing,” Ali Asghar Soltanieh told Press TV on the phone on Tuesday.

IPS had quoted Soltanieh as saying that Iran has offered to temporarily halt its 20-percent enrichment in exchange for easing sanctions against Tehran.

The United States, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the IAEA, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

The IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran’s civilian nuclear energy program has been diverted toward military objectives.