Iran's Negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency - 2003-09-21

Iranian officials say that the country's response to the deadline set by the United Nations Atomic Agency is still under discussion. This deadline requires Iran to prove that it does not have a nuclear weapons program. Hamid Reza Asefi, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, stated on Sunday that Tehran's final position regarding the October 31 deadline will be announced at what he called the 'appropriate time.' Asefi expressed his belief that negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would not reach a deadlock that could lead to international sanctions. Recently, Iran has faced intense international pressure to allow thorough inspections of its nuclear facilities by UN inspectors. The IAEA set the October 31 deadline in a resolution issued earlier this month, demanding that Iran permit unrestricted inspections of its nuclear facilities and provide a complete report on all imports related to enriched uranium. If the IAEA finds that Iran does not comply with the demands outlined in the deadline, it can declare that Iran has violated the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Such a declaration would require the matter to be referred to the UN Security Council, which could propose sanctions or other actions against Iran.