TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Reza Najafi said Iran will set a date for a UN nuclear inspection of a uranium mine.


Under a cooperation pact signed last month to help allay international concern about Iran's nuclear program, Iran would provide access to the Gchine mine by early February for the first time in some eight years.

The IAEA-Iran agreement is separate from a breakthrough accord between Iran and the six world powers reached in Geneva on November 24.

Asked whether a date for the Gchine visit would be agreed during talks that got under way at around 10 am (0900 GMT) at the IAEA's Vienna headquarters, Najafi said, "We will discuss that."

Allowing the UN nuclear agency to go to Gchine was among six concrete steps Iran agreed to under the November 11 cooperation agreement with the IAEA.

As the first step to be implemented, UN inspectors went to the Arak heavy water production facility on Sunday.

In November, Iran and the UN nuclear agency agreed on a roadmap for more cooperation on outstanding nuclear issues.

Under the agreement, Iran would, on a voluntary basis, allow the IAEA inspectors to visit Arak heavy water plant and Gachin uranium mine in Bandar Abbas, Southern Iran.

The IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities, but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a sign of goodwill to remove any possible ambiguity about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, has given a positive response to the request made by the IAEA to visit the plant.

By Fars News Agency 

 

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