IRANIAN GOVERNMENT REACTS TO IAEA VOTE

UNCLAS DUBAI 000523

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC IAEA KNNP EU IR
SUBJECT: IRANIAN GOVERNMENT REACTS TO IAEA VOTE

1.(U) Summary: According to February 5 press reports, President
Ahmadinejad responded to the IAEA vote by "rescinding adherence
to the Additional Protocol to the NPT" and "ordering
commencement of all research and development of nuclear fuel
technology for peaceful purposes, within the framework of the
NPT and IAEA safeguard agreements." Javad Vaedi, Iran's
spokesperson for the negotiating team to IAEA, said negotiations
with Russia over its offer to enrich uranium in Russia would
continue but could be moot if Iran began its own enrichment.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Asefi said Iran was still willing
to negotiate with the international community over its nuclear
program and said Iran would be meeting Russia February 16. End
Summary.

2.(U) As reported by Iran's official news agency, IRNA,
President Ahmadinejad sent a letter February 5 to the head of
the Iran Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) in which he ordered
implementation of the law passed November 3, 2005 by the Majles.
The letter came on the heels of the IAEA Board of Governors vote
the previous day to report Iran to the UN Security Council; in
the letter Ahmadinejad ordered the following:

- commencement of all research, development, and
preparatory-related work on nuclear full-cycle technology for
peaceful purposes;

- a comprehensive call on all experts and academics of national
universities and research institutions to work with the IAEO for
further development of indigenous capabilities for peaceful use
of nuclear technology;

- suspension, as of February 5, of the implementation of the
Additional Protocol and additional cooperation with the IAEA.

3.(U) The letter specified that all of Iran's "peaceful nuclear
activities" would be carried out "within the framework and
provision of the NPT and IAEA safeguard agreements" and that
cooperation with the IAEA to observe all technical and legal
commitments would continue within this framework.

4.(U) Javad Vaedi, spokesperson for Iran's negotiating team to
the IAEA and deputy secretary of the Supreme National Security
Council, told reporters after the vote February 4 that Iran does
not consider the IAEA Board of Governors' resolution as an
expression of the international community's will, but rather a
message "only from Western governments." He said Iran would
proceed with negotiations with Russia on its offer to enrich
uranium in Russia, but that "if enrichment begins in Natanz, we
will have no need for Russian supply."

5.(U) Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hamid Reza Asefi told a
press conference February 5 that Iran was still willing to
negotiate with the international community over its nuclear
program, as reported by AP. He said Iran would hold talks with
Russia February 16 on its enrichment offer. Asefi said Iran
does not fear the UNSC and that the IAEA vote was "not the end
of the world."

Comment
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6.(SBU) Iran's reaction to pressure typically mixes bravado with
pragmatism. Ahmedinejad is trying to play it both ways,
claiming he has "no choice" but to end compliance with the
Additional Protocol, out of "respect" for the law that
parliament passed last year, while at the same time pointedly
avoiding closing the door to further diplomatic negotiations in
the run-up to March, when Iran's case is due to come up for
further debate.

BURNS