Iran vows tough reprisals in nuke row

TEHRAN – Iran yesterday vowed to put an end to tough UN inspections of its atomic programme and fully resume sensitive nuclear fuel work if its case is referred to the Security Council.

Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ali Asgar Soltaniyeh, also told the student news agency ISNA that a decision to kick-start nuclear research work was “irreversible”. “As I said recently, if Iran’s nuclear case leaves the framework of the IAEA for the Security Council, the government – in line with the law voted by parliament – will end voluntary cooperation,” he was quoted as saying.He said this included an end to a voluntary suspension of certain nuclear fuel work.While Iran has restarted uranium enrichment research – a move that prompted the latest crisis – it is for now maintaining a freeze on large-scale enrichment work.Soltaniyeh said the reprisals would also include Tehran ending the application of the additional protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which gives more power to IAEA inspectors.The protocol was signed by Iran’s previous reformist government but has not yet been ratified by the conservative parliament.”This message is very clear and very direct, and the (IAEA) secretariat and members must understand this,” he stressed.Iran is facing the threat of being referred to the Security Council for resuming research work which Israel and the Western powers fear would give the regime the know-how to build a bomb.Tehran insists such work is legal given it has signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.It also angrily denies seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.”As the Islamic republic has said, our decision is irreversible and we will continue our research activities and at the same time cooperate with the agency (IAEA),” Soltaniyeh said.After talks in London on Monday that also included officials from China, Russia and United States, the EU troika of Britain, France and Germany said they want the IAEA’s 35-nation board to hold an emergency meeting on February 2-3.”If there is an emergency meeting, we will discuss with different countries and will try to convince the agency and its members that our work is legal and conforms with our commitments,” Soltaniyeh said.”There is not a unanimity for the case to go to the Security Council, and even if they try to do so with few votes, it would be a major failure for the international diplomacy and multilateralism that they defend,” he added.- Nampa-AFP”As I said recently, if Iran’s nuclear case leaves the framework of the IAEA for the Security Council, the government – in line with the law voted by parliament – will end voluntary cooperation,” he was quoted as saying.He said this included an end to a voluntary suspension of certain nuclear fuel work.While Iran has restarted uranium enrichment research – a move that prompted the latest crisis – it is for now maintaining a freeze on large-scale enrichment work.Soltaniyeh said the reprisals would also include Tehran ending the application of the additional protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which gives more power to IAEA inspectors.The protocol was signed by Iran’s previous reformist government but has not yet been ratified by the conservative parliament.”This message is very clear and very direct, and the (IAEA) secretariat and members must understand this,” he stressed.Iran is facing the threat of being referred to the Security Council for resuming research work which Israel and the Western powers fear would give the regime the know-how to build a bomb.Tehran insists such work is legal given it has signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.It also angrily denies seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.”As the Islamic republic has said, our decision is irreversible and we will continue our research activities and at the same time cooperate with the agency (IAEA),” Soltaniyeh said.After talks in London on Monday that also included officials from China, Russia and United States, the EU troika of Britain, France and Germany said they want the IAEA’s 35-nation board to hold an emergency meeting on February 2-3.”If there is an emergency meeting, we will discuss with different countries and will try to convince the agency and its members that our work is legal and conforms with our commitments,” Soltaniyeh said.”There is not a unanimity for the case to go to the Security Council, and even if they try to do so with few votes, it would be a major failure for the international diplomacy and multilateralism that they defend,” he added.- Nampa-AFP