Iranian Cleric Reiterates Strong Opposition to Inspection of Military Sites
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior Iranian cleric underlined that the Islamic Republic will not allow any access to the country’s nuclear scientists and military centers even in a “managed” form.
Addressing a huge gathering of worshippers in Tehran on Friday, Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani denounced the idea of “managed access” to a list of Iranian military sites and interviews with the country’s nuclear scientists, saying, “The issue is a danger and should be prevented.”
“Is it possible that some individuals come (to Iran) and inspect our military and security centers… but fail to gather any information about our military secrets?”
“At least for me it is not clear whether such managed inspections are possible or not,” the cleric noted.
Back on April 9, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei had categorically rejected foreign access to the country's "security and defensive" sectors under the pretext of nuclear monitoring.
Later on May 20, the Leader ruled out any request for interviews with Iranian nuclear scientists, describing it as an instance of "interrogation".
"I would not let foreigners come (here) and talk to the Iranian nation's dear scientists..., who have expanded this wide knowledge to this stage," Imam Khamenei stressed.
Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) are in talks to hammer out a lasting accord that would end more than a decade of impasse over Tehran's peaceful nuclear program.
