Iran’s Nuclear Chief Hopes for Closure of EBW Detonators Case

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi expressed the hope that the Sunday visit of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General, Yukia Amano will result in concluding the case of Iran’s use of Exploding Bridge Wire (EBW) detonators.

“Our discussions with Mr. Amano today focused on EBW detonators which needed detailed discussions and fortunately my colleagues responded to all the questions of Mr. Amano and I hope that Mr. Amano will take a big step with regard to the EBW issue to nearly wrap up this topic,” Salehi told reporters in a joint press conference with the IAEA Director General in Tehran on Sunday.

He said that Iran expects the closure of this case, and that Amano has been told if this step is taken the next steps will become easier.

Salehi pointed to the IAEA Chief’s visit to Iran, and said, “A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Iran and IAEA during Amano’s first visit based on which over 13 demands of the IAEA were met in two different parts by Iran which have all received a positive mention in the IAEA reports.”

He noted that in the third part the IAEA has five other demands some of which are included in the Joint Plan of Action that “we should respond and some measures have also been taken in this regard”.

Amano arrived in the Iranian capital on Sunday morning at the head of a high-ranking delegation.

Iran and the IAEA deepened cooperation last November as Iran closed in on an interim nuclear deal with the six powers.

In late July and in its latest report on Iran, the IAEA confirmed Tehran’s commitment to the interim deal it struck with the Group 5+1(the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) in Geneva in late November, 2013.

The IAEA’s report showed that Iran had met the terms of the six-month agreement, under which it limited its atomic activities in exchange for some easing of sanctions.

The discussions between the IAEA and Iran are a separate track of talks from the international negotiations between Iran and six powers on Iran’s future nuclear activities and removal of the western sanctions.

Earlier today, Amano appreciated the positive and progressive negotiations with Iran, and lauded Tehran for its cooperation.

“The trend of negotiations between Iran and the IAEA has been fully positive and progressive, specially in the past year,” Amano said in a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran.

He also expressed the hope that the remaining ambiguities would be obviated as soon as possible within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two sides on mutual cooperation.

“The IAEA praises Iran’s readiness for more nuclear transparency and makes effort to use this opportunity to reach a model for valuable cooperation,” Amano said.

Noting that the IAEA is also dissatisfied with the prolonged trend of talks with Iran, he expressed the hope that the problems would be settled through close cooperation within the framework of a logical timetable.

FNA