You may recall that, after the Majlis “recently required”:http://www.totalwonkerr.net/1324/text-of-majlis-bill the government to “revise” its cooperation with the IAEA, Iran’s SNSC set up a committee to deal with the matter.
That committee has now taken its first step. ISNA reported yesterday that
bq. The Iran-International Atomic Energy Agency revision committee in its first step prevented the entry of 38 inspectors in to Iran.
Yesterday, ISNA didn’t say which inspectors were barred or why. But according to “this AFP story,”:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070123/wl_mideast_afp/irannuclearpoliticsuniaea_070123141529 ISNA reported that “the barred inspectors are French, British, German and Canadian nationals.”
A couple of good wire stories from yesterday can be found “here”:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iran_nuclear and “here.”:http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-01-22T122004Z_01_BLA240558_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAN-NUCLEAR-INSPECTORS.xmlThe The two ISNA reports I could find on the web are “here”:http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-865274&Lang=E and “here.”:http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-865116&Lang=E
The IAEA emailed its reaction yesterday:
Media Advisory
Vienna, 22 January 2007 — Statement by IAEA Spokesperson, Melissa Fleming on Iran:“Details of inspector designation is a confidential matter between the IAEA and the country concerned. In this case, we are discussing with Iran its request for withdrawing the designation of certain safeguards inspectors.
It should be noted however, that there are a sufficient number of inspectors designated for Iran and the IAEA is able to perform its inspection activities in accordance with Iran’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement.”
Ultimately, I’m not sure how significant this is, although Iran obviously should be increasing, not decreasing, its cooperation with the IAEA.
One thing I have not seen mentioned is ISNA’s reporting on what appears to be the composition of the committee:
bq. The MP referred to the first meeting of the special committee following up the construction of nuclear power plants which was held yesterday and said: This meeting resulted in the MPs making such a decision. This meeting was held with the participation of heads of the Majlis Energy, Education and Research, Industries and Mines, National Security and Foreign Policy and the Planning and Budget committees as well as the officials involved in the construction of nuclear power plants, in order to follow up this Majlis ratification.
Moreover, the Majlis is forming a committee of its own:
The Borujerd MP said: We have also decided that the MPs, who have nuclear expertise, should set up a special technical committee to supervise and follow up the construction of nuclear power plants. According to Borujerdi, during the [Majlis] session, the MPs decided that Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization should study international tenders and announce their result as soon as possible. This way, apart from using domestic technical expertise, we will enjoy international know-how as well.
Sounds like a party…