Iran hopes to seal nuclear agreement
- 12 years ago
The U.N. nuclear watchdog enters the third day of talks in Vienna over Iran's disputed nuclear program.
The IAEA said it expected a framework cooperation deal to be signed soon with Iran, and on Wednesday this was echoed by a senior Iranian official.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE IAEA ALI ASGHAR SOLTANIEH:
"We will continue the discussions that we had in Vienna and based on the discussions with high-ranking officials and director general in Tehran, we'll try to continue to work on the text of structured approach. Hopefully we will be able to conclude it in a way that will be a good basis for work in the future."
Iran though said they had no intention of stopping their nuclear programme.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE IAEA ALI ASGHAR SOLTANIEH:
"Be realistic: Iran will never, ever suspend its enrichment activities which are under the fullest of safeguards of the IAEA and will continue to be so."
Iran says it is enriching uranium to fuel a planned network of nuclear power stations, denying Western accusations that it is trying to develop nuclear weapons.
Simon Hanna, Reuters.
The IAEA said it expected a framework cooperation deal to be signed soon with Iran, and on Wednesday this was echoed by a senior Iranian official.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE IAEA ALI ASGHAR SOLTANIEH:
"We will continue the discussions that we had in Vienna and based on the discussions with high-ranking officials and director general in Tehran, we'll try to continue to work on the text of structured approach. Hopefully we will be able to conclude it in a way that will be a good basis for work in the future."
Iran though said they had no intention of stopping their nuclear programme.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE IAEA ALI ASGHAR SOLTANIEH:
"Be realistic: Iran will never, ever suspend its enrichment activities which are under the fullest of safeguards of the IAEA and will continue to be so."
Iran says it is enriching uranium to fuel a planned network of nuclear power stations, denying Western accusations that it is trying to develop nuclear weapons.
Simon Hanna, Reuters.