TEHRAN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that his country's new agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) takes into account Tehran's security concerns and recognizes its rights.
He made the remarks in an interview with state-run IRIB TV at the end of his visit to Cairo.
Based on a law passed by the Iranian parliament and Constitutional Council in late June after the Israeli-U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities and the assassination of its nuclear scientists, Iran suspended its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
Following the suspension, Iran said that any inspections by the IAEA must be approved by the country's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), and the suspension will persist until guarantees are provided for the safety of its nuclear sites and scientists.
Araghchi said in the agreement with the IAEA, the Iranian parliament's law, and the necessity to act within its framework had been accepted.
"The most important feature of the agreement is that it recognizes that new circumstances have been created (following the Israeli-U.S. attacks) and Iran's cooperation with the agency is not as it was in the past and should take place in a new format," he added.
According to Araghchi, the agreement "takes into account Iran's security concerns, recognizes the country's rights and defines a new form of cooperation with the agency."
"Iran's demands have all been included in the agreement," he stressed.
However, no access would be given at present to the IAEA inspectors under the agreement except for Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, where they have been allowed to oversee the fuel replacement process after receiving the SNSC's approval, the foreign minister said.
"The agreement per se creates no new access. Iran will negotiate the type of access at the appropriate time based on the reports it will present in the future," he added.
Araghchi emphasized that the agreement would be valid by the time no hostile action is taken against Iran, including the triggering of the "snapback" mechanism to reinstate international sanctions.
Iran and the IAEA signed an agreement on Tuesday to resume their cooperation. ■
