A senior nuclear negotiator rejected as "absolutely untrue" the reports that the negotiating team has agreed to grant UN inspectors managed access to military sites under any final deal with the major powers over Tehran's nuclear program, IRNA reported.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his deputy Abbas Araqchi appeared before lawmakers in a closed session of parliament on Sunday to brief them on the latest developments in the nuclear negotiations.
"In the meeting, Mr. Zarif and I reiterated our opposition to providing any access to our military centers for inspection and allowing meetings with our nuclear scientists for interview," Araqchi said late on Sunday, adding, "We explained that we have plugged all loopholes for abuse during the talks."
His remarks came after some parliamentarians quoted him as saying in the Majlis session that the negotiators have agreed to the demand by some of Iran's negotiating partners that military facilities should be open to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Lawmaker Javad Karimi Qoddousi had told Fars news agency after the parliament's meeting that "Araqchi told the session we have agreed to inspection of our military centers (solely) based on the terms of the Additional Protocol" and that inspectors will be given managed access to the centers and "this management will be very serious."
"Iran has agreed to grant managed access to military sites," another lawmaker, Ahmad Shouhani, had been quoted by state TV as saying on Sunday.
Describing the meeting as "good", Araqchi said, "We stressed that the final decision about whether to sign the Additional Protocol rests with the Majlis."
"We elaborated on the procedure for providing managed access to non-nuclear sites under the Additional Protocol and on the safety and protective measures the countries that implement the protocol take to avoid exposure of their military, nuclear and industrial secrets and prevent espionage."
The top foreign ministry officials also provided explanations on the progress made so far in drafting the text of the final deal and on the frameworks and red lines outlined by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei as well as the achievements gained by the negotiating team with regard to these red lines, according to the deputy foreign minister.
"The negotiators are acting strictly within the framework of the principles and red lines set out by the Leader," Araqchi stressed.
In his speech on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei had rejected the demand for access to military sites as "excessive", saying, "As we have said before, we will grant no access to any of our military centers and (allow) no interview with our nuclear scientists."
