TEHRAN -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is going to release its report on Iran’s nuclear program today.

What is important is the prestige and credit of the International Atomic Energy Agency and its chief Mohamed ElBaradei. He must bear in mind that it is his career and his prestige as well as that of his organization which are at stake.

He must go down in the history as a man of integrity and independence – as he is – not as a figure who bent down to U.S. pressures for the sake of remaining in office for more few days.

ElBaradei has thus far proved that he is an independent figure who does not bend to any pressure whatsoever. He has face warded off lot of pressures and preserved the prestige of his organization. Iran’s case will be yet another test for this prestigious figure.

Also Iran’s case will be a test for the leaders of eight world’s richest industrialized countries who met in Paris early this month and urged Iran to allow more inspection of its nuclear program by UN international inspectors and commit itself fully to the NPT. They also urged Iran to sign the additional protocol of the NPT.

According to the additional protocol, the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are allowed to inspect facilities in different parts of the country without any preplanned arrangement.

Some facts about Iran’s approach to its nuclear technology will shed light on the issue which is a hot topic today.

1) Iran signed the NPT at the time of construction of the Bushehr power plant in order to build its nuclear technology which are squarely meant for peaceful purposes.

As a member of IAEA, it is the inalienable right of Iran to embark on peaceful use of nuclear energy. Hence Iran under the supervision of the IAEA launched the construction of the Bushehr power plant.

Under the complete supervision of IAEA Iran has developed its nuclear site and has gained technical expertise for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Besides NPT, Iran has signed another the additional protocol No. 153 with the IAEA. Based on this protocol, our country is obliged to inform IAEA 180 days before any of its nuclear power plants goes on stream. Iran informed the operational process of plants in Natanz and Arak to the agency at least 7-8 months earlier, which approved Tehran’s commitment to its obligations.

To ensure the IAEA of its peaceful use of nuclear technology, the Islamic Republic signed another protocol “Subsidiary Arrangement”, committing Iran to inform the agency about its plant for the construction of a new plant.

2) Due to Iran’s close cooperation with the IAEA, the agency has acknowledged the peaceful use of nuclear technology by Iran. IAEA Director General Mohammad ElBaradei in Atlanta last week expressed his satisfaction over Iran’s peaceful use of nuclear energy, and said: We have always had close cooperation with Iran regarding the nuclear plants, adding Iran’s nuclear programs are not weapons programs.

Our relations with the Islamic Republic will be continued and we don’t want to put an end to them. We have already urged Iran to sign the additional protocol to the NPT, ElBaradei elaborated.

Referring to his visit late February to Iran, he said, the results of the inspection satisfied me and I was sure Iran‘s nuclear technology was for peaceful purposes.

3) Similar to other Western countries, Iran as a signatory to the NPT should use nuclear technological services of the advanced countries under the supervision of the IAEA – a commitment given by the IAEA to the signatories of the NPT.

But after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, some Western countries, the U.S. in particular, have done everything in their power to stop Iran’s nuclear program. Some countries have expressed concern about Iran's nuclear potentials and have been urging it to enhance the transparency of its nuclear programs. How can the West expect Iran to sign the additional protocol (93+2 Protocol) unconditionally, when they openly ignore Iran’s inalienable rights granted to it under the NPT?

The U.S. through its satanic plots and policies has pressured the other seven member states of G-8. So the U.S. as the most powerful member of the group has exerted pressure on Iran to block its access to its legitimate rights to peaceful use of nuclear technology.

4) The U.S. has put the overthrow of the Islamic system on its agenda. Hence it has been pressuring the IAEA to distort facts in its report on Iran and announce Iran’s violation of the NPT. It also accuses Iran of not seriously fighting against terrorism.

Based on what was said above, President George W. Bush and the White House hawks are impatiently waiting for a distorted report by the director general of IAEA on Iran, announcing its violation of the NPT in order to submit it to the UN Security Council and then condemn Iran at the UN level.

The leaders of G-8 should be mindful of U.S. double-standard policies and avoid being used as a tool by the White House in its psychological warfare against Iran and in its unilateral policies in general.

What is more important is the prestige and credit of the International Atomic Energy Agency. ElBaradei must bear in mind that it is his career and his prestige as well as that of his organization. He must go down in history as a man of integrity and independence not as a coward who bent down to U.S. pressures for the sake of remaining a few days in office. He has thus far proved that he is an independent figure who does not bend to any pressure whatsoever.