Iran intends to answer International Atomic Energy Agency questions over its nuclear program "as quickly as possible", even though it does not consider itself bound by an October 31 deadline to do so, Tehran's representative to the IAEA said Sunday.
"This date of October 31 is not a criteria for us, because we have not accepted this resolution," Ali Akbar Salehi said.
"We have said that we do not consider ourselves to be bound by this resolution, but... we will continue to cooperate with the IAEA and will try to make it so that the answers to outstanding issues will be given as quickly as possible," he added.
"We have accomplished a number of things by going beyond our obligations (under the NPT), and as long as there are outstanding issues, we have promised to continue as before," Salahi said.
In addition, he said the preparatory talks in Tehran with the visiting IAEA delegation have already resulted in an accord on the "general framework on what needs to be done" over the coming weeks of the nuclear watchdog's scrutiny.
Describing the talks as positive, Salehi told IRNA news agency that at the meeting with the IAEA delegation, further discussions on the continuation of Iran's cooperation with the nuclear watchdog were scheduled and both sides were satisfied with the trend of cooperation.
"Up to now, everything is going well," Salahi said, adding the talks were taking place within a "logic of dialogue". (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
