Iran 'to review ties to UN nuclear watchdog' in row over sanctions

Published on Thursday 10 June 2010 19:55

IRAN warned yesterday that it would review relations with the UN nuclear watchdog, a day after the Security Council approved a fourth round of sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear programme.

Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed the sanctions as "annoying flies".

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian parliament's powerful national security and foreign policy committee, described the sanctions as "political, illegal and illogical" and said Iran would quickly begin a "revision" of its relations" with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

He did not say what options would be discussed. But one possibility is Iran could restrict IAEA inspectors' access to nuclear facilities – making the country's nuclear programme even more opaque.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said imposing new sanctions "is not constructive, and will destroy the grounds for solving the current crisis" with the West.

The new sanctions do not affect oil exports, the lifeblood of Iran's economy, as targeting them would have cost the US essential support from veto-wielding Security Council members Russia and China.

Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's atomic energy organisation, took a cautious tone on ties with the IAEA, stating that plans for the reduction of relations "should be examined in detail".

And Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the Austria-based IAEA, said there would be no withdrawal from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) in protest at the sanctions.

"There is no intention to withdraw from NPT," Mr Soltanieh said in Vienna. "We are going to continue our commitment under the NPT."

The NPT commits countries that have ratified it to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to cooperate in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to work toward complete disarmament.

&#149 Iran's opposition leaders have said they were canceling plans for a mass rally on the anniversary of last June's disputed presidential election.

Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi issued a joint statement saying that hard- liners were preparing to crack down on the protesters.

They said they were cancelling the rally "to protect people's lives and property".

The reformist Kaleme website carried their statement yesterday.