In a televised speech, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that a stern response “is easy” for Iran but the country prefers cooperation with the UN atomic energy watchdog.
He remarks was in reply to the resolution adopted last week by the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency demanding access to certain sites in Iran. The resolution was proposed by Germany, France and Britain while Russia and China voted against it.
Iran has dismissed allegations of nuclear activities at the sites in question.
Rouhani said on Wednesday that “Iran is still ready to accept legal surveillance by the (UN) agency and would continue close cooperation within the legal framework” of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
The IAEA resolution came after the agency’s Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated concerns that Iran had denied for more than four months access to UN inspectors to two locations “to clarify our questions related to possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities,” reports Arab News.
Activities at the sites are thought to have been from the early 2000s, before Iran signed the nuclear deal. Iran maintains the IAEA has no legal basis to inspect them.
“The agency should not exit its legal path,” said Rouhani, stressing that the issues raised “belong in the past, dating 18 to 20 years ago.”
It is not clear what effect the new resolution will have on the nuclear deal but Iran has threatened unspecified consequences.
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