No Need for New Cameras at Sabotaged Site: AEOI Chief
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami said the IAEA has been informed that it is not necessary for UN inspectors to install new cameras at a facility near Tehran that was the target of a sabotage attack earlier this year.
Speaking in a live TV program on Saturday night, Eslami slammed the International Atomic Energy Agency for failing to denounce the sabotage operation against Iran’s Karaj nuclear site back in June, adding that the IAEA’s silence effectively encouraged such terrorist acts.
He said the IAEA was informed that it was not necessary to replace damaged cameras at the sabotaged site as required under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action because the US and the Europeans have failed to keep their part of the deal.
Eslami noted that the JCPOA cameras are different from those set up as part of the Safeguards and no one will have access to safeguard cameras’ information after being reviewed by IAEA inspectors.
Elsewhere, the Iranian nuclear chief said Iran has almost fully adhered to the parliament’s law on sanctions removal.
The law was passed in December last year in response to a failure by remaining parties to the nuclear deal to fulfill their obligations and make up for unilateral US sanctions against Tehran.
Elsami also underlined that the AEOI will keep on paving the path of peaceful nuclear energy and technology, and called for the support of the IAEA in a bid to help the country achieve its goals.
“We tried to mention Iran’s positions, approaches and policies to the world and clearly told the IAEA that we do not like their selective behavior and they should block the path of political influence; our criteria are law, safeguards and NPT to which we are committed.”
He also said Iran possesses over 120 kilograms of 20% enriched uranium to supply its research reactor in Tehran with fuel.
“We have exceeded 120 kilograms and in this matter, we are ahead of schedule. Earlier, based on the JCPOA, 20% uranium fuel was supposed to be provided for the Tehran reactor(from abroad), but it was not given, and if we had not started making this amount of fuel ourselves, this would have turned into one of our problems today.”
