N-assurances sought by Gulf
IAEA not ready
MANAMA, Nov 28, (Agencies): Iran’s Arab neighbours, deeply worried about Iran’s nuclear programme, want assurances that Tehran’s deal with world powers will indeed enhance regional security, Bahrain’s interior minister said on Thursday.
US-allied Gulf Arab states, led by top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, have cautiously welcomed the Nov 24 interim accord as a step towards curbing what they fear is a secret Iranian programme to
develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.
“The initial agreement between the Iranian republic and the big powers over its nuclear file makes us expect from these states to clarify to the leaders and people of the region that the agreement that has been reached serves to achieve regional security stability,” the interior minister, Sheikh Rashed bin Abdullah alKhalifa, said.
Addressing the start of a regular meeting of Gulf Arab interior ministers in Bahrain, he said Gulf Arab states wanted to be certain that the accord “would not be at the expense of the security of any member of the (Gulf Cooperation) Council”.
“It is not a secret that we in Bahrain have felt (threats that) affect our security, with all foreign-related links to that.”
Bahrain, which hosts the US Fifth Fleet as a strategic bulwark against Iran across the Gulf, has suffered frequent unrest since 2011 when its Shiite Muslim majority took to the streets demanding reforms and a bigger say in government.
The Sunni Muslim monarchy in Bahrain and in neighbouring Saudi Arabia have regularly accused Shiite Iran of fomenting the unrest. The Islamic Republic denies such accusations.
US officials have said that the nuclear deal, to be the basis of a longer-term comprehensive settlement with Iran negotiated next year, will if fully implemented help make the chronically volatile Middle East a more stable, secure region.
Iran’s only two Arab friends — Iraq and Syria — were quick to praise the nuclear deal, as was the Palestinian Authority which welcomed it for putting more pressure on Israel.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states, despite their mistrust of Iran, gave a qualified welcome to Tehran’s interim deal with the world powers.
Israel, Iran’s regional arch-enemy, has denounced the Geneva accord because, while halting any expansion of Iran’s nuclear programme, will leave its atomic fuel-producing infrastructure intact for now. Iran says it is enriching uranium solely for civilian energy purposes.
Elsewhere, the UN nuclear watchdog said Thursday it was not yet ready to ver- ify Iran’s compliance with the recent deal with world powers, as Tehran invited inspectors to the key Arak site.
“We need to study the agreement (struck in Geneva on Sunday) and we have to identify the ways in which the elements relevant to the IAEA be put into practice,” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yuyika Amano said.
“It will take time because it is a quite complicated task and we would like to properly prepare and do the job properly.... I cannot tell when we will be ready,” he told reporters.
He added that the Vienna-based body would need more money to carry out the enlarged inspection role foreseen in Iran’s breakthrough deal with the United States, China, Britain, France and Germany — the P5+1.