Iran's Residing Representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asqar Soltaniyeh underlined the lack of necessity for a visit by IAEA inspectors to the country's non-nuclear military site in Parchin.

Speaking at a meeting of IAEA's Board of Governors in Vienna, Soltaniyeh said that now that Iran has signed the Modality Plan, the country's nuclear case should be closed and there is no justification for a visit by IAEA inspectors to Parchin site.

He noted that Iran has always respected the international law and IAEA's regulations, and said that the request for visiting Parchin site is merely politicized.

"After enforcing the new Modality Plan, Iran's dossier should be closed and IAEA Safeguard should be normalized," Soltaniyeh added.

In similar remarks yesterday, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Fereidoun Abbasi said Tehran would allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit its non-nuclear military site in Parchin again only if the UN nuclear watchdog convinces it of the necessity of such a visit by presenting relevant documents.

"As I have said before, Parchin isn't a nuclear site and no nuclear activity is carried out in there," and if the IAEA believes that it should visit this site, it "should present its documents about nuclear activity in this site so that we can discuss the issue with our military officials," Abbasi told reporters in Tehran.

Also in April, Abbasi had said that the UN nuclear watchdog should explain why it intends to send its inspectors to the Parchin military site because the AEOI has no station or activity in there and the site has already been inspected by the IAEA.

He pointed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s concern about Iran's refusal to allow an inspection of Parchin, and noted, "If we enter another country, would they allow us to visit (inspect) wherever we want?"

"We (AEOI) have no site in Parchin; Parchin has been repeatedly accused (by the IAEA of running suspected military nuclear activities) despite the fact that it has gone under inspection in the past," Abbasi said.

He reminded that the IAEA should have a strong argument to convince Iranian officials, including the defense minister, that inspection of Parchin is necessary, and said, "Our military commanders are rational people (and would allow IAEA access to Parchin if they are presented with a good reasoning), but the point is that we in the Atomic Energy (Organization of Iran) have not been convinced by the IAEA inspectors of the goal of such a visit."
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News ID 184405