Iran parliament speaker warns it may limit cooperation with IAEA

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Source: CCTV.com | 05-29-2008 08:49

Iran's new parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, is warning that Tehran could impose new limits on its cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog. His remarks on Wednesday came after a critical report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA.

Ali Larijani attends the opening session  of Iran's new parliament in Tehran on May  27, 2008. Larijani on Wednesday warned  that the country could review its  cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog,  after the body expressed grave concern  about Tehran's contested atomic drive. (AFP/File/Atta Kenare)

Larijani, formerly the country's top nuclear negotiator, was overwhelmingly elected as parliament speaker on Wednesday. Moments later, he told parliament that a new report by the IAEA was "regretful." The unusually strongly worded report issued on Monday suggests that Tehran is continuing to stonewall the UN nuclear monitor. Especially by potentially withholding information necessary to establish whether Iran has tried to make nuclear weapons.

Larijani did not specify what measures the parliament would take. But they could include further scaling back cooperation... and not responding to questions originating from Western intelligence agencies.

Editor:Du Xiaodan