Amano Defends Sampling Process at Parchin: 'No Issues with This Process'

Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in an interview on Thursday, rejected criticisms of the sampling process conducted by Iranian experts at the military site of Parchin, stating that he believes there are 'no issues' with the process followed. Amano had previously stated that the Iranian experts who sampled Parchin were under 'close supervision' of the Agency and that he currently believes these samples are 'authentic' and without problems. In the interview with the Associated Press published on Friday, October 3, he emphasized that he is now 'completely confident' that the samples received from Iran are 'genuine and valid'. This interview comes about a week after his visit to Iran, during which he also visited the military site of Parchin. Iran has described this visit as 'ceremonial' rather than an 'inspection', stating that the sampling at Parchin was conducted without the presence of Agency inspectors and by experts from the Islamic Republic, after which these samples were handed over to the IAEA officials. However, according to the Director General of the Agency, this sampling was conducted with the 'responsibility and oversight' of the Agency. The IAEA and some countries suspect that Iran has conducted tests at the Parchin military site in the past that are related to the development of nuclear weapons; the Islamic Republic has consistently denied these claims while preventing Agency inspectors from accessing Parchin under the pretext of its military nature. Meanwhile, the sampling by Iranian experts at Parchin has faced severe criticism from Republican critics of the Obama administration in the United States. They believe that granting such rights to the Islamic Republic is a sign of 'excessive concessions' given to Tehran based on the comprehensive nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. The Associated Press also emphasized in its report that typically it is the Agency inspectors who sample soil and air from facilities suspected of nuclear military activities with their equipment. However, Amano stressed in his interview that the Agency is 'confident' in the authenticity and correctness of the process followed for sampling at Parchin due to the use of modern and advanced tools and equipment. This comes at a time when the IAEA has repeatedly expressed concern over construction activities at the Parchin facility in recent years. The Director General also stated that he and his deputy did not see 'equipment related to the development of nuclear weapons' during their visit to Parchin, but noted that 'reconstruction at Parchin continues'.