Iran threatens IAEA withdrawal if nuclear ‘rights’ taken away News
Iran threatens IAEA withdrawal if nuclear ‘rights’ taken away

[JURIST] The speaker of Iran's parliament indicated Sunday that the country would pull out of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) [official website] if what he called its "inalienable rights" to uranium enrichment were taken away. Gholam-Ali Hadad-Adel [Wikipedia profile] stated that such a withdrawal "is well justified." Referring to the UN Security Council resolution [JURIST report] passed last month calling for Iran to suspend its nuclear program, Hadad-Adel said that "there is no single reason to justify their (the UN Security Council) decision for depriving a country of its rights and peaceful activities." Hadad-Adel nonetheless added that Iran is "still keen to resolve the issue through talks because we believe that our view points and stances are logical."

Iranian officials have continuously asserted that it is Iran's right to continue with its nuclear program [JURIST report]. Resolution 1696 has set an August 31 deadline for Iran to stop its uranium enrichment program. Xinhua has more. From Iran, IRIB has local coverage.