Iran invites IAEA inspectors to visit its nuclear establishments

Iran's permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali-Asghar Soltanieh said that the Islamic Republic has invited IAEA inspectors to visit the country's nuclear establishments, the local satellite Press TV reported on Wednesday. Following a formal Iranian invitation extended to the IAEA inspectors to visit the country, Tehran is prepared to address concerns on its nuclear program, Soltanieh told Press TV in an interview on Wednesday. Soltanieh said on Tuesday that Iran sent a letter to IAEA chief Yukiya Amano earlier in December renewing an October invitation to IAEA officials to visit the country. "I have also had discussions with officials of the agency and we are planning for the visit," Soltanieh was quoted as saying. "We are going to discuss any questions and to work towards removing the ambiguities and resolving the issue," he added. According to the reports, IAEA on Tuesday confirmed that it had received an invitation to visit the country but said that Iran did not specifically address the concerns of the IAEA over its alleged "covert nuclear weapons" program sites which are suspected in the recent report of the IAEA. In November, the IAEA said in its latest report on Iran's nuclear program that "credible" evidence showed that Iran has been seeking to obtain nuclear weapons. But Tehran immediately rejected the report, calling it "imbalanced, non-professional and politically-motivated." Later in November, the board of the IAEA adopted a resolution on Iran's disputed nuclear program, calling for intensified dialogue to find solutions to unresolved issues. While voicing "deep and increasing concern" over the country's nuclear program, the UN atomic watchdog said it was "essential" for Iran and the IAEA to "intensify their dialogue" aiming at the "urgent" resolution of all outstanding issues. But Iranian officials said later that the resolution will not stop the country 's nuclear program.