A senior Iranian nuclear negotiator reiterated on Wednesday that Tehran will not permit anybody to enter and inspect its military sites under the guise of the Additional Protocol (AP) of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

"If we are going to reach a final deal, this deal is going to include the AP. We have included in the text voluntary implementation of the AP," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi said in an interview with the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

Takht Ravanchi, however, stressed that Iran "will not allow anybody to enter the military complexes."

He noted that the additional protocol "isn't about letting inspectors visit and have a free hand in wherever they want to go, whatever they want to do, and talking about whoever they want to talk to."

The senior Iranian negotiator further said that the AP, rather, "is about providing access to certain areas where there is proof that there have been some alleged wrongdoings, the documents of which should be given to the members."

His remarks came as Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) continue talks to hammer out a comprehensive deal on Tehran's peaceful nuclear program.

Iran's possible adoption of the NPT's Additional Protocol under a final nuclear deal is among the issues that has prompted wild speculations.

Back on April 9, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei categorically rejected foreign access to the country's "security and defensive" sectors under the pretext of nuclear monitoring.

Later on May 20, the Leader ruled out any request for interviews with Iranian nuclear scientists, describing it as an instance of "interrogation".
"I would not let foreigners come (here) and talk to the Iranian nation's dear scientists..., who have expanded this wide knowledge to this stage," Imam Khamenei stressed.
 

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