IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei has transmitted his report on Iran´s nuclear programme to the UN Security Council, at the close of the Agency´s Board of Governors meeting in Vienna today. Speaking to the press, the Director General called for a "cool headed approach" from all parties.
Following are excerpts from his remarks:
- Iran needs to continue to be transparent working with the Agency. I think there is complete agreement that Iran needs to go the extra mile and work with us. Nobody will be happier than I when we are able to conclude that all the outstanding issues in Iran´s nuclear programme are clarified... Everyone is looking for a political settlement.
- What we need at this stage is cool headed approaches. We need people to lower the rhetoric. We need to continue to see how we can move forward.
- This is a new phase of diplomacy. The Security Council will lend its weight to the IAEA´s efforts so as to make sure Iran will work as closely as possible with us. So as to make sure that Iran takes the required confidence building measures.
- The IAEA will continue to do inspections in Iran and continue to ask Iran to be as transparent as possible. We will continue to do the verification, while the Security Council deliberates on the global political picture.
- We need a settlement that assures Iran its peaceful right to nuclear energy. But at the same time assures the international community that Iran´s programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes.
- I am still optimistic. I think sooner or later the parties will decide there are no other options but negotiations.
For more information and a full transcript, see Story Resources and the special section on the IAEA´s safeguards in Iran.