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U.S. wary over Iran nuclear deal
TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran has agreed to allow tougher U.N. inspections of its nuclear facilities and to suspend its uranium enrichment program, but the U.S. wants to see the words backed by actions. Top Iranian official Dr. Hassan Rowhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Iran was voluntarily making the moves to "promote international goodwill, create stability, and put an end to tensions." Rowhani said that Iran would also cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He said the suspension of uranium enrichment would begin immediately but that some portions of the plan must be approved by the Iranian parliament. He gave no timetable for when that would happen. Rowhani made the announcement following a session Tuesday in Iran with French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. In Singapore, a spokesman for U.S. President George W. Bush said Iran's announcement was "progress," but Iran now had to back up its announcement by signing a formal protocol with the IAEA. If Iran follows through with its promises, it "would be a positive step in the right direction," The Associated Press reports White House press secretary Scott McClellan saying. "Full compliance by Iran will now be essential." A joint declaration issued following the meeting said: "The Iranian Government has decided to sign the IAEA Additional Protocol and commence ratification procedures. As a confirmation of its good intentions, the Iranian Government will continue to co-operate with the Agency in accordance with the Protocol in advance of its ratification." Rowhani was non-committal on how long Iran would maintain its freeze on uranium enrichment, prompting some analysts to suggest Iran was simply playing for time, Reuters reports. "We voluntarily chose to do it, which means it could last for one day or one year, it depends on us," Rowhani told a media conference. "As long as Iran thinks this suspension is beneficial it will continue, and whenever we don't want it we will end it," Reuters reports him saying. The official Iranian news agency later quoted him as saying Iran was not prepared to abandon totally its uranium enrichment program. Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is only intended for civilian purposes, the production of electricity. However, the United States and others have said Iran needed to demonstrate that it does not have a nuclear weapons program. Iran invited the European ministers to Tehran for talks. The joint declaration said Iranian authorities "reaffirmed that nuclear weapons have no place in Iran's defense doctrine and that its nuclear programmed and activities have been exclusively in the peaceful domain." The declaration add that once "international concerns, including those of the three Governments, are fully resolved, Iran could expect easier access to modern technology and supplies in a range of areas." In addition it says Germany, France and Britain will "co-operate with Iran to promote security and stability in the region, including the establishment of a zone free from weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations." Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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