TEHRAN - Senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Seyed Abbas Araqchi has given assurances that the UN Security Council resolution endorsing the nuclear agreement between Iran and the West has nothing to do with Iran’s missile program.

“We believe this resolution would not pose any real trouble for Iran, since our missiles do not fall to the categories subject of the discussions of the resolution,” Araghchi assured the MPs sitting on Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Committee on Monday.

The Security Council resolution adopted unanimously on July 21 set in motion a years-long process to eventually lift international sanctions in exchange for new controls on Tehran’s nuclear program.

Araghchi also told the committee meeting that the verification by the International Atomic Energy Agency would be quantitative.

“The Agency has scored a good record in verification in the Geneva deal; the reality remains however that apart from the Agency, no other international arbitrator is there to verify the implementation of the commitments. In any case, an international organization should have inspected Iran’s facilities to produce a report to the UN and the 5+1 group. We managed to work out an arrangement to make the Agency’s verifications only numerical and quantitative, where the Agency would have a checklist and verify the implementation of commitment according to simply a top-down list,” Araghchi said, the Mehr news agency reported.

“In doing so, the Agency has no maneuvering power in interpretation of the BARJAM [a Persian acronym for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA]; it would not change the figures or add or subtract certain amounts,” Araghchi explained.

In response to the question of “unconventional inspections” inserted in the JCPOA text, Araghchi said the inspections would be within the framework of the Additional Protocol, which is an internationally recognized conventional treaty and more than 140 countries are members and 120 countries are actively implementing it, and “Iran is not an exception to this general rule.”

On the possible military dimensions (PMD) of Iran’s nuclear program raised by the West, Araghchi said, “It had been a matter of concern but in the roadmap agreed between Iran and the Agency, no inspections of Iran’s military centers would be found.”

With regard to nuclear research and development, the negotiator said, “This is quite an achievement for us, since it is recognized by the other parties as part of Iran’s nuclear program. The nuclear technology is a extensive field, with enrichment being only a part of it. The BARJAM even encourages countries to cooperate with Iran in R&D.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will have the necessary permits to work on enrichment as part of R&D. However, we should abide by restrictions in the number of working centrifuges, which would not significantly affect R&D. For 10 years, the BARJAM asserts, Iran will be free to work with IR4, IR5, IR6 and IR8 centrifuges. The R&D is not a matter relating to production, but to advancing enrichment machines to higher versions, where we will hopefully enter into industrial level of production,” Araghchi explained.

‘U.S. Congress will reject nuclear deal’

In a TV program on Monday night, Araqchi also called on Majlis not to approve a law about the JCPOA, saying it would not meet Iran’s “national interests”.

Araqchi also predicted the U.S. Congress will reject the nuclear deal, which will automatically trigger a veto by President Barack Obama.

Araghchi also touched the fate of Iran’s unfrozen assets, saying, “The unfrozen assets now is in the disposal of the Central Bank, and the Geneva agreement mandates release of $700 million installments per month, as has been the case in the recent few months.”


MD/P