Iran seeks lead-time for nuclear inspections - Fabius

Kuwait News Agency - French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Wednesday Iran is requesting a 24-day lead-time for international inspections in the case it is alleged to have violated a future accord on Tehran's controversial, nuclear activities.

Speaking at the International and Strategic Relations Institute (IRIS), Fabius expressed doubts about this considerable time and about how the sanctions would be lifted in the event there is an agreement at the end of next month.

Iran wants full and immediate lifting of the sanctions if there is an agreement by June 30, but the most of the P51 group (US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany) want a progressive easing of UN and other sanctions as Iran enters into compliance with the reduction of centrifuges and limitation of uranium stockpiles and allowing inspections of facilities.

Fabius said that Iran is seeking a 24-day delay between the time violations are alleged and the time inspectors arrive on site to investigate.

The French Foreign Minister implied that this was way too long, noting "a lot can disappear" in that time period of over three weeks.

France has taken one of the toughest stances with Iran concerning the conditions it needs to meet for an end to the international embargo put in place after Tehran repeatedly refused to halt uranium enrichment and developed other components in its nuclear programme that certain experts say could have dual potential and be used for military purposes and even the fabrication of a nuclear weapon.

Iran denies such intentions but has not fully cooperated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections and it has dissimulated certain programmes that have raised suspicions about a possible, experimental military programme.

Fabius has consistently said that "many details remain to be worked out" in the ongoing talks with Iran, although he did note some progress on certain issues in recent months.