YNetNews 03 Agosto 2008

Top Iranian representative to IAEA says signing of nuclear deal between US, India a plan to 'create precedence, pave way for Israel to continue its clandestine weapon activities' without putting facilities under UN monitoring

Iran's top representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Saturday that the US had signed a nuclear agreement with India as part of a plan to allow Israel to "continue its clandestine weapon activities" and to create a nuclear precedence for the country.

The comments were made by the Iranian official prior to an IAEA meeting that approved a deal between Washington and New Delhi, which would reverse more than three decades of US policy that has barred the sale of nuclear fuel and technology to India, a country that has not signed international nonproliferation accords and has tested nuclear weapons.
 
Ali Ashgar Soltanieh, Iran's top representative to the UN agency, said in his speech that Tehran was seriously concerned about what he called a US double standard. He said that would undermine the credibility, integrity and universality of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

"There is serious concern that the United States has taken this step with the intention to create precedence and pave the way for Israel to continue its clandestine weapon activities" without putting its atomic facilities under UN monitoring.

European powers are still awaiting Iran's response to an offer made on its nuclear program, but diplomats said they were ready to wait a few more days beyond Saturday's informal deadline for an answer. Meanwhile US sources have said that the deadline is final, and that a negative response would have serious ramifications for the country.
 
Iran dismissed the idea of a time limit, though the EU had asked the country on July 19 to respond within two weeks to their offer to hold off from imposing more UN sanctions if Tehran froze expansion of its nuclear work.

Associated Press | august 02

Source >  YNetNews