Putin says Western claims on Iran’s nuclear program baseless
By Sara Rajabova
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Iran's nuclear program is of peaceful nature.
In an interview with Russia Today, Putin said that Iran is committed to its obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and that there is no evidence for West's claims about the country's nuclear energy program.
Putin reiterated the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear energy program, citing a recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
"I have no doubt that Iran is adhering to the rules in this area. Because there is no proof of the opposite," he said.
In its recent report, the IAEA said Iran had made progress across the board in its nuclear program, enriching more uranium and installing hundreds of next-generation centrifuges that could speed enrichment.
It said Iran increased its total stock of low-enriched uranium by almost 8 percent, to nearly 10 tons over just three months, after release of the last IAEA report.
However, during a meeting on Iran's nuclear energy program in Vienna on June 6, the IAEA accused Tehran of building Arak reactor with a design not previously approved by the Agency.
Iran's IAEA Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh rejected the accusation, arguing that the Arak reactor is visited by international inspectors every three months and that the facility produces radioactive isotopes for medical purposes.
The United States, Israel, and some of their allies have accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.
Iran has strongly rejects the allegation, arguing that as a committed signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the IAEA, it is entitled to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.