In a move described by analysts as a positive sign that Iran was responding to intense international pressure, the Islamic republic has finally permitted the United Nations nuclear inspectors to enter its Parchin military complex, reported BBC news.
“We are pleased that we can confirm that IAEA inspectors got access to buildings at the Parchin site as we had requested,” said a spokesman for the UN watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its Vienna base.
Inspectors will decide whether U.S. allegations that Iran’s is covertly trying to manufacture nuclear weapons are true or not.
Iran is facing the risk of being referred to the UN Security Council after the IAEA in September found it to be in “non-compliance” with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The UN atomic agency threatened to refer Iran’s nuclear case to the Security Council for possible sanctions if its inspectors didn’t get full co-operation.
Although Iran has already showed flexibility and willingness to cooperate, so as to avoid being referred to the UNSC, Washington and the European Union claim that the Islamic Republic continues to defy the international community by refusing to halt uranium conversion at its nuclear plant near Isfahan.
Last January, the IAEA demanded Iran to give its inspectors full access to Parchin site, the centre for munitions work about 30km (19 miles) south-east of Tehran.
Inspectors have already taken environmental samples from the complex, according to a diplomat close to the IAEA.
IAEA deputy director general for safeguards, Ollie Heinonen, and two other IAEA inspectors “went Tuesday to Parchin,” the diplomat said. The inspectors took “environmental samples”.
However, Iran made it clear that it will resume processing uranium within weeks, asserting that the sole aim behind its nuclear program is to meet the country’s energy needs.
Washington, backed by Israel, which continues to refuse to sign the NPT, claim that Tehran is using its nuclear program as a guise to secretly develop nuclear weapons.