TEHRAN – Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), has said the arrogant countries in the world have accepted the reality of nuclear Iran. 

In an interview with Al Alam news channel, Eslami addressed a variety of issues related to Iran’s nuclear program. 

He said the “arrogance” accepted the reality of a nuclear Iran. 

The arrogance is an appellation Iran often uses to refer to the United States and some of its Western allies. 

“We have always patiently and regularly mentioned and within the framework of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards that it is an international body of the United Nations and has a legal duty to assist, support, mediate and endeavor to promote, develop and use nuclear technology in all countries,” Eslami said, adding “But not only didn’t this happen to Iran, but the opposite happened, as they raised many problems for Iran and put pressure on the International Atomic Energy Agency. But we are already past this stage. They have accepted the fact that there is a nuclear Iran. Nuclear energy in the general sense of the word, not the things they accuse Iran of. Nuclear technology has a general meaning and a wide range of applications, including an important part of public health, food security, industrial fields, including process measurements and control systems in sensitive and mother industries, nuclear power, etc.”

The AEOI chief pointed out that arrogant America and its allies are determined to obstruct Iran's progress in any way possible.

Responding to a question of the cooperation between Iran and IAEA in face of sabotages, Eslami said, “The topic is important in talking to the Agency, the origin of this matter is the allegations and fabricated documents that the Zionist entity [Israel] prepares and submits to the Agency on a regular basis. With the use of pressure by taking advantage of the capabilities of the available forces, pressure is escalated on the International Atomic Energy Agency to put pressure on Iran and thus disrupting the progress of the Iranian nuclear industry. In this course, discussions took place on the same topics. The documents requested by the Agency have been sent, and we hope, as previously announced, that all exchanges will take place by June at the latest, clear up all vagueness and close the door to these allegations so as not to further harm our country and allow us to proceed on a normal course of developing our nuclear program.”

He noted, “The Agency can usually proceed from whatever source it gets the information and it has no restrictions. But the monitoring imposed by the Agency on Iran is not found in any other country. America and its allies are determined to obstruct Iran's progress in any way possible. This is the main goal of the arrogance and its allies, and we have to repeat this issue constantly and we believe that they do not want Iran to advance in any way, so they are ready to create any kind of obstacles and pretexts and stir up problems.”

He continued, “Of course, the Agency needs to review the information it routinely produces, and these accusations have been steadily increasing for 20 years now. They pretend there is something and they come and check and then it turns out it's not true, then they close the case. For a while they gave up on it and then started the same procedure again.”

Underlining the IAEA double standards, Eslami pointed out, “Iran's capacity in the field of nuclear technologies in terms of facilities and capabilities is between 2 to 3 percent of the world's maximum capacity, but 25 to 26 percent of the Agency’s supervision takes place in Iran, and it is from these two figures that the double standards of the Agency can be understood. For some countries, there is a ‘nuclear spring’ and they do whatever they want, they have nuclear weapons and no one pays attention to them.”

Eslami also pointed to Israel’s nuclear weapons, saying that “the Zionist entity has dozens of warheads and nuclear weapons, and carries out various types of clandestine activities, and has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty either. But they do no address it in any way, and they are not held accountable at all. But they do most of the inspections in Iran, and this is in perfect harmony with the main objective and motive behind their desire to impede Iran's progress.”

Eslami also highlighted France’s double standards. He said, “Today we see that the French president announces a nuclear renaissance in his country, and then at the same time calls the president of our country and says why are you working in the field of nuclear technology! OK, if nuclear technology is halal, profitable, and constitutes a basic foundation for sustainable development, and you have moved to nuclear technology and nuclear electricity in order to obtain sustainable energy and the absence of pollutants, then why do we not use this technology?!”

He stated, “These are the double standards that are used, rooted in hostility to the Islamic Revolution, by those who do not want any progress to be made under a banner that is not theirs, who do not want the world to realize that without the hegemony and dictates of arrogance, progress can be achieved. They want to suggest that progress will only happen under their control, and there is no way to progress without it, but the Islamic Revolution came and paid the price with the blood of its martyrs to say that progress will happen and that the strength is for all of us.”

Eslami lambasted the U.S. pressure on Iran, saying that the so-called policy of “maximum pressure” on Iran did not work.

“Sanctions and harassment against the Iranian people and country must be removed, and the phase of confidence-building can begin. But they did not fulfill their pledges and chose the maximum pressure method to destroy the revolution and the Islamic Republic. While the Islamic Republic not only has not stopped, but has become more advanced and successful, and they themselves admit that these methods were ineffective and must return to the nuclear agreement again. Please go back to the nuclear agreement. The nuclear agreement is a clear document, and each of them has duties in it, and this is a return to commitments.”

He added, “Iran has fulfilled all its obligations in good faith, and you who did not abide by your signature, and you did not act according to your signature, everything that was specified in the nuclear agreement must be implemented, so there is no new understanding. The purpose of these negotiations taking place today is to return to the understanding that was reached in the previous period, so all that was pledged must be adhered to. The Agency has repeatedly stressed that there are no deviations in Iran's nuclear program and that it exercises the utmost oversight throughout its history and does not have inspectors in any country like Iran, so everything must return to normal and stop harassing Iran. This is the basic principle of dialogue and understanding, which must be achieved.”

Eslami said that the West's move to return to the 2015 nuclear agreement is a result of the “Parliamentary Strategic Action Law,” which obligated the Iranian government to take certain nuclear steps if the West failed to honor its obligations under the JCPOA. 

Responding to a question on the nuclear law, the head of the AEOI said, “This is also a matter that was taken into account in the negotiations and the report that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must submit to the Majlis (Parliament). Majlis must also announce the implementation of the executive arrangements law desired by the Majlis. We in the Atomic Energy Organization have implemented all the requirements. The Strategic Action Law is what compelled America and the West to demand a return to the nuclear agreement, and this shows that this law has succeeded. The extent of the impact of the strategic action law now needs a report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This report must be presented under the dome of Majlis and Majlis should comment on it.”

Commenting on the level of uranium enrichment by Iran, Eslami said, “The enrichment capacities are determined according to the country's needs, and our production line operates according to the knowledge of the International Agency, under its supervision, and according to its standards. They have a lot of sensitivities about 60% enrichment and make trouble and hype about it, while we have different uses for 60% enrichment.”

He added, “It was expressly stated in the nuclear agreement that the embargo should not have been imposed on Iran, based on this and on the basis of what was stated in the agreement, until they fulfill their obligations and remove the types of embargoes as agreed upon. In the same way, we will reduce our enrichment level.”

According to Eslami, on April 9, which falls on Saturday, new achievements in various fields of nuclear science will be unveiled. 

20th of Farvardin is named National Day of Nuclear Technology in Iran.