Iran threatens to end cooperation with IAEA if referred to UN

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jan. 30 – Iran once again threatened to end cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog if its atomic file was referred to the Security Council. Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Jan. 30 – Iran once again threatened to end cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog if its atomic file was referred to the Security Council.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters that such action “will definitely end Iran’s voluntary cooperation” with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the official state news agency reported on Monday.

“If the Board of Governors of the IAEA decide to refer Iran’s nuclear case to the Security Council in its next meeting (February 2), the Additional Protocol will be the first victim of such a decision”, Mottaki threatened.

Iran has not ratified the Additional Protocol, which allows for snap inspections of nuclear sites by IAEA inspectors, but has voluntarily enforced it.

Mottaki said that he will be travelling to London on Monday to participate in a conference on Afghanistan but would be available to meet and hold talks with other countries’ Foreign Ministers.

The Foreign Ministers of the three EU states, Britain, France, and Germany, along with China, Russia, and the United States are due to meet and hold talks on the issue of referring Tehran’s nuclear file to the UNSC.