Tehran is not required to seek the approval of any international entity to engage in nuclear cooperation with other countries, a lawmaker said.
"Iran does not need the permission of other countries, whether a member of the UN Security Council or not, for conducting nuclear activities," Kamal Dehqani added in an interview with ICANA on Sunday.
He was commenting on a recent announcement by US administration officials that they have given Iran the green light to pursue the construction of two new nuclear power plants near the southern port city of Bushehr under the parameters of last year's nuclear deal. Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran's top nuclear official, announced on Thursday that Iran intends to invest $10 billion into the construction of two new nuclear plants after receiving the presidential order, according to Iranian media reports.
A US State Department official told Washington Free Beacon following the announcement that Iran is permitted to move forward with this venture under the nuclear agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which does not prohibit this type of nuclear construction.
"The action plan and Resolution 2231 have allowed Iran to cooperate with any other country possessing nuclear knowhow and capabilities because with the JCPOA's conclusion, the Islamic Republic of Iran joined the nuclear fold of the International Atomic energy Agency," Dehqani said.
Under the accord, Iran accepted temporary curbs on its nuclear program in return for relief from international sanctions.
Days after its announcement in July 2015, Resolution 2231 was adopted by the UN Security Council to endorse it and terminate all previous UNSC sanctions resolutions.
Critics in the US Congress of the Obama administration's diplomacy with Iran condemned the new light water nuclear reactors, claiming the administration is turning a blind eye to the Islamic Republic's alleged pursuit of illicit nuclear technology.
Iran denies the charge that its nuclear activities might have had military aspects, saying the program is totally geared toward peaceful applications.
