Iran's Representative at the IAEA Urges Government to Agree to Stricter Inspections

An Iranian senior official has requested that his government agree to stricter inspections of the country's nuclear facilities. The state newspaper 'Iran' today quoted Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran's representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stating that such action could resolve political issues arising from nuclear activities. Tehran is under international pressure to sign the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which allows for unannounced inspections by the IAEA. Mr. Salehi expressed hope that the government would act to alleviate international concerns before the next IAEA Board of Governors meeting in September. Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi had previously postponed a decision on permitting unexpected inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities until after a meeting of legal experts from the IAEA. The United States has repeatedly expressed concern that Iran might use its nuclear power program as a cover for developing nuclear weapons. Earlier this month, EU foreign ministers also stated that their concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program have increased. Iran has declared that this program is for peaceful purposes.