Iran offers IAEA "full supervision" of nuclear program

Iran is ready to allow the UN nuclear watchdog to fully supervise its nuclear activities for five years if sanctions against Tehran are lifted, Iranian nuclear chief Fereydoun Abbasi said in an interview with the ISNA news agency. The Islamic republic's Press TV state news network reported that Abbasi, who heads the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said in the interview that he had made the offer to Yukiya Amano, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Monday's statement followed the IAEA's regular call on Tehran to allow its inspectors to visit Iran's nuclear facilities. "By lifting the sanctions and meeting mutual obligations, the agency can completely supervise Iran's nuclear activities without broaching military aspects and alleged studies," Abbasi said. The West suspects Iran of pursuing a secret nuclear weapons program, but the Islamic republic, which is already under four sets of international sanctions over its nuclear activities, insists it needs nuclear power solely for civilian purposes.