Iran did not promise to reveal all its nuclear programs
A commentary by Amir Mohebian
It seems that the Iranian nuclear case has led Iran and the IAEA thorough a phase of mutual dissatisfaction. The Iranian officials emphasize that presentation of original documents regarding what the IAEA calls the "researches done on Iranian nuclear case" is necessary. At the same time, the IAEA and western countries express their concern over the ambiguities and unanswered questions regarding some aspects of Iran’s nuclear case. All these events have impeded the trust-building of the two sides.
In the meantime, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency has stated that the products of one of Iran’s atomic fuel production units in Arak would soon be used. This statement has led the IAEA to express concern over the functioning of a 40 Mega Watt heavy water reactor in Arak.
Here is a commentary by Amir Mohebian, a political expert, on the issue.
Iran’s policies have always been based on the necessity of clarification. All the information presented to the IAEA has also been in the framework of NPT. So Iran may have certain information on the nuclear enrichment process but the NPT does not bind the country to reveal all these information. When the IAEA keeps asking for such information, the expectations would be higher from Iran; and some of them may not be lawful expectations. So Iran is keeping itself in the framework of the law.
From time to time, the US reveals certain kind of information based on intelligence agencies’ sources; accusing Iran of hiding some aspects of its nuclear activities. The US does not even reveal the real sources of such undocumented information.
Such approach to Iran’s nuclear activities is political, not technical. Iran’s being clearer on his nuclear activities would only add to the west’s tendency for making more political cases and ambiguities on the issue. So the solution does not lie in the nuclear case. Iran has been clear on the issue, and legally, Iran’s dossier should have been closed. But the problem is that the political case is continuing over Iran’s nuclear activities. It seems that the US aims to hang on to such claims and justifications in order to attend direct negotiations on Iran’s nuclear activities. It also aims to secure guarantees for Israel.
Arak’s heavy water reactor and Aqazadeh comments
The Iranian officials’ comments and positions on Iran’s nuclear activities are not contradictory. They are all stated in the framework of law. Iran has never said it would reveal every single nuclear activity. Iran would only reveal the information which is required by law. So what the westerners see is not all that Iran does. Iran plans to maximize its technical efficiency in nuclear power plants in the future.
The IAEA concerns over the functioning of a 40 Mega Watt heavy water reactor in Arak does not have anything to do with this power plant and other technical issues. The problem lies in the political approach taken towards Iran’s nuclear case. That is why any comment by Iranian officials would upset the westerners.
Iran and legal frameworks on nuclear case
Iran is a member of NPT. It has not signed the additional protocol but it has executed that. So there is no point in verifying Iran’s diversion in additional protocol’s framework. Iran may be the most committed country to the legal nuclear frameworks among the IAEA countries.