Tehran - The head of Iran's Atomic Organization said Saturday that agreements have been made with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect the new uranium-enrichment plant near Tehran. "Considering the suitable cooperation between Iran and the IAEA, there will be an inspection of the new plant in due time," Ali-Akbar Salehi told state television without giving a precise date.
He said the new plant is located 100 kilometres south of the capital Tehran and would become operational in more than one year. The country's first enrichment plant Natanz is located in central Iran.
Salehi, who is also one of the ten vice-presidents of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, expressed bemusement over the harsh international reaction to the new plant.
"We are indeed very surprised because whatever we did was within the legal framework and in line with all IAEA regulations," Salehi said.
Salehi said that, according to IAEA regulations, any nuclear plant should be brought to the attention of the IAEA six months before going operational.
"In the case of the new plant, we did it even more than a year (before the operational phase)," he said, indicating that the plant would not become operational before the end of 2010.
"We are really surprised about the international reactions - there is no basis for them," he added.
Salehi reiterated that Iran was committed to international laws and regulations, "but would never seek permission from any country" to pursue peaceful nuclear programmes.
Iran and the six world powers involved in the dispute over Iran's controversial programmes will meet on October 1 in Geneva.
While Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States want to focus the talks on Iran's nuclear programmes, Tehran just wants to discuss ways to tackle global challenges and says the nuclear issue is solely a matter between Iran and the IAEA.
The talks are therefore expected by observers not only not to lead to any major breakthrough but rather end in failure.
