December 27, 2012
Remove Israeli threat to inspect Parchin nuclear site, Iran says
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A section of the Parchin military facility in Iran on Aug. 22. DigitalGlobe handout satellite image, courtesy DigitalGlobe/Reuters
Iran said it would open the Parchin military complex to United Nations nuclear inspectors if threats of an Israeli attack are neutralized.
"If external threats were defused, then they -- the IAEA -- could be enabled to inspect Parchin," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Ghashghavi reportedly said Thursday.
Israel has threatened to attack Iranian nuclear sites if nuclear enrichment is not halted. President Obama has indicated that all options are on the table.
A seven-member team from the International Atomic Energy Agency met with Iranian nuclear officials earlier this month. The team also attempted but failed to visit Parchin, which the IAEA has been trying to see for the last year. Satellite photos of the site near Tehran indicate that it has been used for nuclear weapons experiments.
In August, the IAEA released a report that included details on Iran demolishing buildings and sterilizing the Parchin military complex, which would make it harder to detect the nature of nuclear research efforts there.
The IAEA regularly visits Iran’s declared nuclear facilities, including enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordo.
Tehran says its nuclear activity is for creating domestic energy and peaceful research. The West believes Iran is attempting to create a nuclear weapon.
