Iran dismisses UAE, Israel claims on nuke programme

Iran denied the allegations raised by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel on Tehran's nuclear programme at the recent meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), state-media reported on Thursday.

"It is quite ridiculous that a regime which has ignored all the non-proliferation and disarmament commitments and developed all kinds of weapons of mass destruction is preaching a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) whose nuclear facilities and materials are under the IAEA's safeguards," Iran's permanent representative to the IAEA Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday with reference to Israeli remarks at IAEA meeting.

"Tel Aviv must abandon its nukes and join the NPT immediately, putting all its nuclear facilities under the IAEA's safeguards," Xinhua news agency quoted Gharibabadi as saying.

In an address to the 63rd IAEA general conference on Wednesday, the representative of Israel's Atomic Energy Commission claimed that the IAEA needs to show "greater vigilance" considering what he called Iran's "methods of deception and concealment in the nuclear realm".

He also accused Iran of "concealing and removing nuclear materials and equipment from its clandestine sites" and undermining the IAEA's "ability to conduct effective verification missions".

Gharibabadi also downplayed as "irrelevant and groundless" accusations raised by the UAE envoy and gave assurance that "Iran has utilized the highest standards in building and launching its nuclear facilities."

He made the remarks in reaction to comments by Hamad Alkaabi, the permanent representative of the UAE to the IAEA, who urged the IAEA "to devise a new approach towards addressing concerns and threats of Iran's nuclear and regional activities".