Iran has dismissed a call by the United States on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to seek access to Iranian military bases for inspection, Iranian state TV reported on August 27.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi told state TV that Tehran’s stance remains unchanged and that “no permit would be issued to enter those fields banned with the nuclear deal [with world powers].”
The deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons by imposing constraints on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of international sanctions on Tehran.
Given the IAEA’s independence and the agency’s need to secure its international position, it is not probable that it would yield to the unrealistic and illogical demands of other countriesBahram Qassemi, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, responding to US call to IAEA to inspect Tehran's military bases
Qassemi also reiterated that Iran would continue to abide by its commitments toward the IAEA as stipulated in JCPOA.
Referring to the recent meeting between U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki
Haley with IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano in Vienna, Qassemi said, “Given the IAEA’s independence and the agency’s need to secure its international position, it is not probable that it would yield to the unrealistic and illogical demands of other countries.”
On August 25, Haley called on the UN's nuclear watchdog to seek access to Iranian military bases to ensure they are not concealing activities banned by the 2015 nuclear deal.
"I have good confidence in the [IAEA], but they are dealing with a country that has a clear history of lying and pursuing covert nuclear programs," Haley told a news conference in New York City after returning from Vienna.
The UN watchdog previously concluded that Iran had conducted research secretly on a nuclear warhead at one military site before 2009, a charge Tehran denies.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said “JCPOA is a multilateral agreement that Iran is committed to, and others must observe their commitments as well.”
Iranian leaders have rejected giving international inspectors access to their military sites. But the deal lays out a process for the UN agency, which is charged with monitoring compliance with the agreement, to request access to any Iranian site where it suspects nuclear activities might be occurring.
The U.S. Statement Department has certified Iran is technically in compliance with the deal twice this year but has charged that Iran's ballistic missile tests violate the "spirit" of the deal.
Iranian leaders have countercharged that a series of new sanctions imposed by the United States over the missile tests this year also violate the "spirit" of the accord. They have warned that Iran could easily and quickly resume nuclear weapons development if the United States abandons the deal.
Haley said earlier this week she was "concerned" about whether Iran is adhering to the nuclear deal and that while the IAEA is known for its "credibility, professionalism, and seriousness," it "can only be as good as the access Iran grants.”