Amano Calls Associated Press Report on Nuclear Agreement 'Incorrect'

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that the Associated Press report claiming that, based on a confidential agreement between Tehran and the Agency, Iranians would conduct inspections at the Parchin facility, provides 'incorrect information.' Yukiya Amano, on August 20, reacted to the Associated Press report by saying, 'I am disturbed by statements that apparently aim to suggest that the Agency is delegating its responsibility for nuclear inspections to Iran. Such statements provide incorrect information regarding the methods of our important verification activities.' The IAEA Director General noted in a statement that the 'roadmap' between the Agency and Tehran regarding oversight of the nuclear program is 'confidential,' which is standard procedure for this organization. Just a day prior, the Associated Press reported that it had obtained a draft document indicating that in a 'secret agreement' between Iran and the IAEA, Tehran was allowed to use its own experts to inspect the Parchin facility, which is suspected of having been used for nuclear weapon-related tests in the past. This report faced reactions in the United States, with opponents of the nuclear agreement in Congress, mainly Republicans, expressing severe criticism. Among them, Lindsey Graham, a senior Republican representative, stated, 'Allowing Iranians to inspect their own nuclear facilities is like letting prisoners search their own jail.' However, U.S. officials quickly responded and defended the entire nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. The U.S. State Department also stated that the IAEA would never delegate the responsibility of inspecting Iran's nuclear facilities to Tehran.