IAEA delegation in Tehran today
Tehran (AsiaNews/Agencies) – An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) delegation arrived in Tehran today on a three-day visit to draw up a framework to resolve the outstanding issues about Iran's nuclear programme within the framework of the Non Proliferation Treaty, Iranian News agency IRNA reports.
The differences between the two parties has led to United Nations demands for a suspension in Iran’s uranium enrichment programme, which Iranian authorities have refused to do, causing the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions.
The IAEA team, which includes legal experts, is led by its safeguards chief, Olli Heinonen. The team is also expected to hold talks with Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, on mutual issues.
Iranian sources suggest that the idea to draw up the framework was put forward by Larijani when he was in Madrid, Spain, last month for talks with the European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana.
The two should are scheduled to meet again at the end of the month.
During his talks with Solana, the Iranian diplomat dismissed the US-EU call for suspension of uranium enrichment, calling it "outdated, insufficient and impractical,” IRNA reported
In addition to what seems a warning, the government-owned agency cited IAEA chief ElBaradei as saying that Iran had slowed down the process of installing centrifuges in its nuclear facilities, which might indicate some flexibility on Tehran’s part.
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01/08/2005
