UN hails Iran invitation to IAEA chief

UN Under-Secretary General Sergio Duarte has welcomed Iran’s initiative to extend and invitation to the body’s nuclear chief for visiting Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities.

“Every measure that increases confidence in the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities is appreciated,” Duarte said.

UN’s high representative for disarmament affairs said, “Inviting Amano to visit Iran’s nuclear facilities is a positive development and can prepare grounds for continuing mutual cooperation.”

In June, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Fereydoun Abbasi invited Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Amano to visit the country.

The IAEA chief had referred to an “appropriate time” to visit Tehran.

Earlier in June, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at the IAEA for doing the US bidding, urging the agency once again not to be swayed by political pressure.

In his latest report on Iran’s nuclear activities, Amano claimed that the IAEA had received new unspecified information indicating that Iran may not merely be engaged in developing nuclear energy for civilian purposes.

Head of the IAEA also accused Tehran of not cooperating with international nuclear experts.

The US and its allies accuse Iran, with no evidence, of pursuing a military nuclear program and have used the pretext to pressure the UN Security Council to impose a fourth round of sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Iran insists that as a member of the IAEA and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it has a right to use the peaceful applications of nuclear energy for electricity generation and medical research.