No restrictions of inspectors’ access to nuclear site: official
“Within the framework of Iran’s commitment to the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), there is no and there will be no restriction of inspectors’ access,” a high-ranking Iranian official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“We have not begun installing new centrifuges," he added.
Diplomats close to the IAEA in Vienna have claimed that Iran had begun construction of 3,000 centrifuges at its main nuclear facility in Natanz, and that Iran was stopping UN inspectors from installing surveillance cameras at the site.
According to AFP, IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming refused to comment on the diplomats’ claims.
The UN Security Council passed Resolution 1737 on December 23 imposing sanctions on Iran’s trade in nuclear material and technology as Iran refused to stop its enrichment activities.
“Information regarding the activities of the IAEA inspectors is confidential,” IAEA Spokesperson and Director Division of Public Information Marc Vidricaire told the Mehr News Agency on Friday.
“The director general will issue, toward the end of the month, his report to the Board of Governors on the implementation of safeguards in Iran,” Vidricaire stated.
“The Board may decide at a later date to make this report public,” he added.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei is to file a report by February 21 to the Security Council on Iranian compliance with the UN call for it to freeze all enrichment work.
On January 27, ElBaradei called for a “timeout” in the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, with the UN suspending sanctions and Tehran halting uranium enrichment at the same time.