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Tehran: Iranian top nuclear negotiator on Thursday said that the UN nuclear watchdog report proves accusations that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons are baseless and that new sanctions against the country would be wrong.
Saeed Jalili said Tehran has answered all the questions by the International Atomic Energy Agency and made “good progress” in cooperating with it.
In light of the IAEA report, “many accusations are now baseless,” Jalili said, referring to US claims that Tehran was seeking to build nuclear weapons. “Those powers who base their accusations on this I hope will reconsider what they say.” “
We have kept our promise ... Iran has responded to all the questions by the [UN] agency and has made good progress in the case,” said Jalili, speaking to reporters in Tehran.
Jalili spoke as a report the IAEA, made available to AP in Vienna, Austria, said that Iran had been generally truthful about key aspects of its nuclear history, but also warned that its knowledge of Tehran’s present atomic work was shrinking.
The IAEA report also confirmed that Tehran continued to defy the UN Security Council by ignoring its repeated demands to freeze uranium enrichment — a potential pathway to nuclear arms.
But Jalili insisted Iran has an irrefutable right to its nuclear programme.
“Iran has shown it is working within the framework of the law but at the same time, we want our [nuclear] rights,” Jalili said. “We have done everything to have a peaceful nuclear programme.” The Iranian official said past referrals of Iran’s case to the UN Security Council were “futile” and said a third round of sanctions would amount to “illegal action.”
US reaction: ‘Partial answers’
Iran continues to provide “partial answers” on its nuclear programme and to defy the international community by enriching uranium, the United States said on Thursday.
“These are partial answers,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack when asked the UN nuclear watchdog agency report on Iran’s nuclear programme. “The Iranians have continued to defy the international community,” he said.
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