Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could return to Iran with approval from the country's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).
Araghchi's remarks, made in an interview with Iran's official news agency IRNA, came amid suspended cooperation between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog following Iran's parliamentary legislation in late June.
Iran cannot completely halt cooperation with the IAEA, Araghchi said, noting that the upcoming fuel replacement at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant will require the presence of IAEA inspectors.
Any IAEA inspection requests for nuclear facilities not recently attacked by Israel and the United States will be submitted to the SNSC for conditional approval, he said.
Araghchi affirmed Iran's intention to remain a party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, while reserving the right to withdraw if necessary. He also suggested Iran might send diplomats to Vienna for another round of talks with the IAEA following the August 11 negotiations in Tehran.
Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA after suffering air strikes from Israel and the United States in June, and IAEA inspectors left Iran in early July.
The IAEA has repeatedly reaffirmed the importance of the resumption of nuclear inspections, while Iran has expressed willingness to talk with the agency on how to cooperate in the future.
On August 11, the IAEA's senior officials paid their first visit to Iran after the suspension of cooperation.
Iran conditions IAEA inspectors' return on security council approval
Iran conditions IAEA inspectors' return on security council approval
Iran conditions IAEA inspectors' return on security council approval
