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Hawks a threat to cooperation, Iran warns watchdog

Iran will be forced to review cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog if it is denied the right to a peaceful nuclear program, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told the official news agency yesterday.

Kharrazi made the comments to the IRNA news agency as diplomats said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board in Vienna appeared ready to approve a US-backed resolution giving Tehran until Oct. 31 to reveal the full extent of its nuclear program.

"If the hawks gain the ground and ignore our legitimate rights for peaceful nuclear activities, we will be forced to review the state of play and the current level of cooperation with the agency," Kharrazi said.

Kharrazi did not specify who the "hawkish elements" were, but denounced them for "arrogance" and taking an "extremist posture." Japan, Britain, France and Germany joined forces with the US in co-sponsoring the toughly worded draft resolution.

"The posture of certain countries (on the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency) is irresponsible and arrogant," Kharazi said in a statement published by state news agency IRNA.

"Unfortunately, some are trying openly and willfully to destroy the process of cooperation between Iran and the agency and seeking to cut the agency out of the process.

"If the extremists take control of the matter and do not recognize our legitimate rights to have peaceful nuclear activities, we will then be obliged to review the situation and the current level of cooperation with the agency," he added.

The IAEA draft demands Iran show its full compliance with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which Washington says Tehran has violated.

"There is an apparent and deliberate attempt by some to torpedo the process of cooperation and remove the agency from the process," Kharrazi said, adding the position of some states was "outrageous and irresponsible."

The draft did not say what would happen if Iran did not cooperate, but a Western diplomat said what was important was "that a signal is sent, that a clear bright line is laid down that Iran must comply with IAEA requests in a quick, complete and transparent manner."

Kharazi stopped short of criticizing the draft resolution but singled out Canada for its hard line: "In a speech to the board of governors, the Canadian representative asked that the issue of the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities be immediately sent to the Security Council, thus wanting to ignore the role of the agency," he said.

The draft came after Ken Brill, the US ambassador to the IAEA, had said: "The United States believes the facts already established would fully justify an immediate finding of non-compliance by Iran" with international non-proliferation accords. Such a finding by the IAEA could send the issue to the UN Security Council.

Tehran insists that it has fully cooperated with the IAEA and denies it is trying to develop nuclear weapons.
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