The Islamic Republic of Iran Agrees to Sign the Additional Protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty - 2003-10-21

The Islamic Republic of Iran has agreed to allow unannounced inspections of its nuclear facilities and to suspend its uranium enrichment program. This agreement was announced on Tuesday, 10 days before an international deadline, following negotiations in Tehran between senior officials of the Islamic Republic and the foreign ministers of Britain, France, and Germany. In Vienna, the International Atomic Energy Agency stated that Iran still needs to provide a complete report of all its nuclear activities and officially announce that it will sign the Additional Protocol. A joint statement issued by the Iranian government and the foreign ministers of the three European countries promises that Iran will maintain full transparency in its nuclear program and reiterates Tehran's claim that it does not intend to build nuclear weapons. The statement also mentions that Iran will halt all activities related to uranium enrichment and reprocessing. However, Hassan Rouhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, stated that the suspension of the uranium enrichment program is a temporary measure aimed at building trust and convincing critics of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program. Dominique de Villepin, the French Foreign Minister, stated that the Islamic Republic agreed to sign the Additional Protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This protocol will allow for unannounced and surprise inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities. De Villepin, Jack Straw, the British Foreign Minister, and Joschka Fischer, the German Foreign Minister, in a joint statement, acknowledged Iran's right to peaceful use of nuclear energy under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.