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Journalism of Courage
Iran will continue to cooperate with the UN’s nuclear watchdog, a senior official was quoted as saying on Sunday, despite hardliners’ calls for Iran to reject a UN deadline to prove it has no atomic arms programme. Using softer language than in recent days, Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Salehi said Tehran would not make ‘‘nervous and tough reactions’’ to a tough IAEA resolution last week on Iran’s nuclear programme.
‘‘We will continue our cooperation with the IAEA as before and our clear criticism does not mean we will sever our cooperation with the agency,’’ the state-run Iran newspaper quoted him as saying. But he added that Iran should not show total ‘‘obedience to the West’s demands’’ since that ‘‘could pave the way for unlimited demands’’.
Several hardline Iranian commentators have said Iran should follow North Korea’s lead by expelling IAEA inspectors for good and pulling out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi on Sunday said Tehran’s future cooperation with the IAEA was under review. ‘‘The relevant authorities are discussing it and our decision will be made public in future. We haven’t made a concrete decision on how to continue cooperation with the IAEA,’’ he said. The IAEA has accused Tehran of failing to provide full and accurate information about its nuclear programme. Iran says its nuclear facilities are geared to generate electricity. (Reuters)
