TEHRAN: International sanctions imposed on Iran have failed to affect the country’s nuclear energy program, the United Nations nuclear agency chief said on Monday.
The Islamic Republic is making “steady progress” in expanding its nuclear program despite international sanctions that do not seem to be slowing it down, Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in an interview on Monday.
“There is a steady increase of capacity and production” in Iran’s nuclear program, Amano said.
The UN nuclear agency chief said that he remained committed to dialogue with Iran to address concerns of possible military dimensions to its nuclear activity. But no new meeting had yet been set after 10 rounds of talks since early 2012, he said.
Asked if tightening sanctions – imposed by Western powers to make the Islamic Republic curb its atomic activity – were slowing down Iran’s nuclear work, he said: “I don’t think so … I don’t see any impact.”
Earlier in the day, President-elect Hassan Rohani said that Iran was ready to show more transparency on its nuclear program but was not ready to suspend uranium enrichment.
“Our nuclear programs are completely transparent. But we are ready to show greater transparency and make clear for the whole world that the steps of the Islamic Republic of Iran are completely within international frameworks,” he said.
The US, the Israeli regime and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program, with Tel Aviv repeatedly threatening to attack Tehran’s nuclear facilities.
Over the allegation, Washington and the European Union have also imposed a series of unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
Tehran, however, rejects the allegations against its nuclear energy program, arguing that as a committed signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the IAEA, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purpose.
