Iran: Iran reaffirmed its commitment to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty yesterday, a day after its hard-line president issued a veiled threat to withdraw from the pact.
Inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog agency, meanwhile, began a mission to learn just what controls remain on nuclear sites and equipment after Tehran ended all but minimum co-operation.
Foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi also urged a peaceful solution to the dispute over his country's nuclear programme.
"We are still committed to the provisions of the NPT. But we can't accept its use as a [ political] instrument. We will co-operate in the treaty and the safeguards' framework," Mr Asefi said at a weekly news conference.
On Saturday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rejected US and European pressure to resume a freeze on the country's nuclear programme and hinted that Iran might withdraw from the treaty.
In Vienna, a diplomat said some International Atomic Energy Agency seals and cameras had been removed from Iranian nuclear sites within the last few days, suggesting it happened without IAEA supervision. But others familiar with the investigation said they doubted the Iranians would make such a move before the arrival of the inspectors, which occurred over the weekend.
In a speech before tens of thousands of Iranians marking the 27th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Mr Ahmadinejad spoke obliquely about pulling out of the NPT.
"The nuclear policy of the Islamic Republic so far has been peaceful. Until now, we have worked inside the agency [ IAEA] and the NPT regulations," he said.
"If we see you want to violate the right of the Iranian people by using those regulations [ against us], you should know that the Iranian people will revise its policies," he said.
Tehran has repeatedly stressed the NPT allows it to pursue a nuclear programme for peaceful purposes and it has said it will never give up the right to enrich uranium to produce nuclear fuel.
The US and its European allies believe Iran is seeking to develop atomic weapons. The IAEA reported Tehran to the security council, which has the power to impose sanctions.
Uranium enriched to a low degree can be used for nuclear reactors, while highly enriched uranium is suitable for warheads.
The foreign ministry spokesman urged the IAEA and Europeans to keep open diplomatic channels.
"The agency and other parties should not block roads to Islamic Republic of Iran and should solve the case in the framework of the regulations," Asefi said.
He rejected comments by British foreign minister Jack Straw, who said last week that there was no proof but "very high level of suspicion" that Iran was trying to build a nuclear weapon.
"How do you apply a policy of non-trust toward Iran when there is no proof that Iran is trying to divert its nuclear programme toward a weapon?" Asefi asked.
Tensions escalated last month after Iran removed UN seals and began nuclear research, including small-scale uranium enrichment at its plant in Natanz.
Diplomats said the IAEA still has seals and equipment at Natanz and Isfahan, where Iran is converting raw uranium into feedstock gas for enrichment.
- (AP)