Russian TV, Experts Look at Iran Nuclear File Ahead of IAEA Meeting

Excerpt from report by Russian Channel One TV on 6 March

[Presenter] A complicated question full of responsibility will be tackled in Vienna today at a session of the Board of Directors of the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran’s position remains ambiguous. Here is one of the latest statements by that country’s representative.

[Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in Persian to Russian voice-over] We are prepared to assume that uranium for our energy needs will be enriched in another country for some time, but we do not agree to stopping our own research. If the so-called nuclear dossier is referred to the UN Security Council, then we will start full-scale uranium enrichment.

[Presenter] Both Europe and Russia have tried to persuade Iran to return to a moratorium. Moscow has held several rounds of talks that lasted several days. Vladimir Nesterov will continue on the subject.

[Correspondent] If Iran agreed to all of Russia’s conditions, wide opportunities in the area of the use of peaceful atom would open up for it. Tehran would be able to count not only on our, but also on significant European aid. However, the Iranians continue to insist on enriching their own uranium – an attitude that considerably undermines the degree of trust in Iran.

[Georgiy Mirskiy, chief research assistant at the Institute of the World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences] If the IAEA could be sure that all work would be carried out under their strictest control, then there would be no danger, then they would be able to notice in time if the Iranians were starting, so to say, to be clever and cunning and to do what they are not supposed to do. They have no guarantees that the Iranians will really carry out work to create what is called peaceful atom.

[Correspondent] Referral of the nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council is the worst-case scenario for Iran. But this does not at all mean the immediate adoption of sanctions. The IAEA does not have proof that Iran is working on a nuclear bomb and Tehran is well aware of that. The Iranians are not afraid of the worst-case scenario. A partial blockade of the Iranian economy is not dangerous for the country. In neighbouring Iraq, there was a total blockade for a long time and even in those conditions, contraband opportunities were found. The Security Council will most probably not resort to the Iraq scenario. Tehran hopes that Russia, which is linked with Iran by contracts worth billions, or China, which is the main consumer of Iranian oil, would use their veto on the draft resolution. All this gives Tehran the opportunity to allow itself to be persuaded for a long time to give up its nuclear projects.

[Radzhab Safarov, director-general of the centre for studies of modern Iran] After all, Iran is a key county in the Muslim world and has ambitions to become a leader not only in the Persian Gulf, but also in the whole Muslim world. Therefore, proceeding from these given parameters for that country’s development, it is completely obvious that without the attributes of nuclear technology [Iran] cannot aspire to that status. [Passage omitted.]