LONDON — The International Atomic Energy Agency plans to send a
delegation to monitor the resumption of Iranian uranium enrichment.
The agency said it would send inspectors to the Isfahan nuclear
conversion plant in central Iran. The IAEA would install cameras this week
to monitor what Iran asserted would be the imminent resumption of uranium
enrichment in the facility.
"A safeguards team is traveling in the next couple of days to deliver
and install remote camera equipment and an inspection system will be in
place in the middle of next week," an IAEA spokeswoman in Vienna said on
Saturday.
The agency's announcement came as Iran rejected a European Union
offer to help Teheran with expertise and fuel for a civilian nuclear
program, Middle East Newsline reported. The proposal called on Teheran to halt activities meant to complete
the nuclear
fuel cycle, which would enable the assembly of nuclear weapons.
"Why is it that some countries don't understand that the Iranian nation
won't accept tyranny?" President Mahmood Ahmadinejad, who rejected the EU
demand, asked.
Iranian officials said the EU offer violated the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, which allows member-states to conduct uranium
enrichment. Teheran said the EU proposal also differed from an agreement in
November 2004 in which Iran pledged to suspend uranium enrichment and
conversion during negotiations with Brussels.
The EU has warned that Iran's intentions to renew uranium enrichment
could be referred to the IAEA board. Diplomats said the EU and the United
States would then move to relay the issue to the United Nations Security
Council. On Aug. 9, the agency board of governors, at Britain's request, was
scheduled to discuss Iran.
"[The EU has] offered to supply nuclear reactor fuel as well as
security, technology and trade guarantees in return for Iran dropping parts
of its nuclear programme that could be used to build atomic bombs," an EU
letter
released on Aug. 5 said.
