Iran's Defence Minister Hossein Dehqan has said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has no need to inspect the Parchin military base.
"The IAEA inspectors have visited Parchin before, and we have addressed their questions. Therefore, we think there is no need for giving further access to the site," Dehqan said Saturday.
IAEA reports have never shown any suspicious activity at Parchin, the minister said ahead of the Aug 25 deadline for Iran to provide a new set of information on its nuclear programme to the agency, Xinhua reported.
Although investigation in Parchin is not included in the agreement between Iran and the IAEA, visits to the military base has been demanded by the agency to certify the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme.
On Jan 13, 2005, IAEA inspectors were allowed access to the military base as a confidence-building measure.
Since then, the IAEA has requested further inspections of the site, but has been denied access by the Iranian government.
Parchin has long been suspected to be a nuclear bomb testing site.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app