Iran to work with IAEA, but inspections may be risky: FM

Iran plans to cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog despite restrictions imposed by its parliament, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Saturday, but stressed that access to its bombed nuclear sites posed security and safety issues.

The new law stipulates that any future inspection of Iran’s nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) needs approval by the Supreme National Security Council, Iran’s top security body.

“The risk of spreading radioactive materials and the risk of exploding leftover munitions … are serious,” state media cited Araqchi as saying. “For us, IAEA inspectors approaching nuclear sites has both a security aspect … and the safety of the inspectors themselves is a matter that must be examined.”

While Iran’s cooperation with the nuclear watchdog has not stopped, it will take a new form and will be guided and managed through the Supreme National Security Council, Araqchi told Tehran-based diplomats.

“The IAEA’s requests for continued monitoring in Iran will be …decided on a case-by-case basis by the Council with consideration to safety and security issues,” Araqchi said.

Iran will not agree to any nuclear deal that does not allow it to enrich uranium, Araqchi reiterated.

Axios cited sources on Saturday as saying Russian President Vladimir Putin had voiced support for the idea of an accord in which Tehran is unable to enrich uranium. But Iran’s semi-official news agency Tasnim quoted an “informed source” as saying Putin had not sent any such message to Iran.

Speaking to the state news agency IRNA, Araqchi said Iran was carefully considering the details of any renewed nuclear talks with the U.S. and seeking assurances that Washington would not again resort to military force. “We are in no hurry to enter into unconsidered negotiations,” he added.