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Iran Says It Agrees to ‘Road Map’ With U.N. on Nuclear Inspections Iran Says It Agrees to ‘Road Map’ With U.N. on Nuclear Inspections
(about 2 hours later)
LONDON — A senior Iranian official said on Monday that his government had reached agreement on a “road map” with the United Nations nuclear watchdog to permit expanded inspection of its sites in what seemed a conciliatory gesture despite lowered expectations of a quick breakthrough in broader talks about Tehran’s program. PARIS — The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Monday that Iran had agreed to resolve all outstanding issues with the agency, and would permit “managed access” by international inspectors to two key nuclear facilities that have not been regularly viewed.
But the promise of wider inspections did not seem to include one of the most contentious sites — the Parchin military site southwest of Tehran, which inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, or I.A.E.A., have been seeking unsuccessfully to access for months and where they suspect testing has taken place on triggering devices for nuclear weapons. But the promise of wider scrutiny did not seem to extend to one of the most contentious locations: the Parchin military site southwest of Tehran. Inspectors from the agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, have been trying for months to see the Parchin site, where they suspect that Iran has been testing triggering devices for nuclear weapons.
Word of the Iranian offer came during a joint news conference in Tehran by Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s atomic energy organization, and Yukiya Amano, the head of the I.A.E.A., the state-run Press TV reported. “This is an important step forward to start with, but much more needs to be done,” Yukiya Amano, the director general of the agency, told reporters in Tehran, apparently reflecting a degree of caution.
“This joint statement outlines a road map that clarifies bilateral cooperation on the outstanding issues,” Mr. Salehi said. New inspections, he said, would be permitted at the planned Arak heavy water reactor and the Gachin mine in southeastern Iran, which began shipping yellowcake for conversion in 2010, according to the broadcaster. The agreement came on the heels of talks between Iran and six world powers over Iran’s nuclear program. Those talks ended Saturday without reaching an agreement that would have eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for verifiable assurances that Iran would not pursue the construction of a nuclear weapon. Western diplomats said Iranian negotiators balked at a proposed agreement, and did not give enough concrete assurances of peaceful intentions.
The discussions with the I.A.E.A. are separate from the negotiations between Iran and world powers on Tehran’s nuclear enrichment program which Western countries suspect is designed to acquire the technology to build an atomic bomb. Iran says the program is for peaceful purposes. Coming so soon after those talks, the agreement with the agency on Monday appeared to represent an effort by Iran to show that it remained committed to reaching an accommodation with the West. Secretary of State John Kerry said at a news conference in the United Arab Emirates that the Obama administration was not in a “race” to strike a deal.
Last week, Iran and six world powers said they came close to an agreement at talks in Geneva and agreed to further talks later. Secretary of State John Kerry told a news conference in the United Arab Emirates on Monday that the Obama administration was not in a “race” to strike a deal. The agreement between Iran and the agency was signed by Mr. Amano and Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization. Among its specific provisions is “managed access” to the Gachin mine in Bandar Abbas and the heavy-water production plant being built at Arak.
One point of disagreement in Geneva arose from a French demand that Iran suspend construction of its heavy water reactor at Arak and the implementation of tighter controls. Once completed, the reactor would produce a greater amount of plutonium than conventional reactors. In the past, the agency has questioned whether the Gachin mine, which produces yellowcake uranium for conversion to nuclear fuel, is linked to Iran’s military. The heavy-water plant could produce plutonium, which can be used in a weapon.
According to Press TV, Mr. Amano said the latest agreement was “an important step forward,” although more work needed to be done. The agreement would also include provisions for more complete information about the scope and longer-term plans for additional uranium enrichment facilities, as well as answers to “all present and past issues,” the agency said. The “past issues” include the question of whether Iran has previously pursued a weaponization program.
“Under the framework of cooperation, Iran and the I.A.E.A. will cooperate further with respect to verification activities to be undertaken by the I.A.E.A. to resolve all present and past issues,” Mr. Amano said, and “substantial measures” would be implemented in three months “starting today.” The country’s longstanding reluctance to answer questions from the nuclear watchdog and allow more comprehensive inspections has worried the West and deepened suspicions about Iran’s sincerity. The agency is the only outside entity that is allowed to enter Iranian facilities, take samples and report back to the world on what Iran is doing. Its access has been limited, and no inspections have been permitted at some facilities.
Mr. Amano arrived in Tehran on Monday for the talks, Press TV said. I.A.E.A. inspectors have been visiting Iranian sites for some years but have failed to secure broader access to facilities and personnel. The lack of in-depth information and the inspections of the heavy-water plant have been a particular worry to the West and were among the issues mentioned by French officials in explaining their reluctance this weekend to agree to a broader deal with Iran.
For his part, Mr. Salehi said on Monday that his government had reached agreement on a “road map” with the I.A.E.A, according to the state-run broadcaster Press TV.
“This joint statement outlines a road map that clarifies bilateral cooperation on the outstanding issues,” Mr. Salehi was quoted as saying.
The agreement on Monday comprised a four-paragraph statement and six bullet points in an annex of issues to be tackled within the next three months.
“It is foreseen that Iran’s cooperation will include providing the I.A.E.A. with timely information about its nuclear facilities and in regard to the implementation of transparency measures,” the statement says, adding that “the I.A.E.A. agreed to continue to take into account Iran’s security concerns, including through the use of managed access and the protection of confidential information.”
Apart from “managed access” to the two sites, the six-point annex committed Iran to providing information on all new research reactors and on the identification of 16 sites designated for the construction of nuclear power plants. It also enjoined Iran to clarify its stance on additional enrichment facilities and on laser enrichment technology.
“Managed access” is a term used by the U.N. agency . to denote the ground rules for inspections that permit host countries to protect information they consider to be proprietary or secret, while still allowing inspectors to garner data they require, officials said.

Alissa J. Rubin reported from Paris and Alan Cowell from London.