IAEA not authorized to inspect Iran's military sites: Ryabkov

Certain countries substitute notions in talks on expanding inspections of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the Iranian military facilities creating contrived fuss around the issue. However, Russia says that the IAEA is not authorized to carry out such inspections, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told TASS.

"I would like to say absolutely clear and directly that acquiring some false topicality the theme of the IAEA work on Section T (about Iran’s military facilities - TASS) of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) over the Iran nuclear program has no topicality for us although it is a talking point now," he said.

In particular, Moscow says that the IAEA "has not been authorized to carry out such inspections and cannot be tasked because Section T highlights the issues out of the agency’s competence," Ryabkov said.

"Nevertheless, we can hear another thing. As in the issue of the Iran missile program, some of our counterparts prefer to call black white and vice versa," the high-ranking diplomat said. "We cannot get them to understand this evident logic and obvious truth."

"Since they are insisting, we say if you cannot do without discussions on the theme, it should be raised at the Joint Commission when the next session is convened," Ryabkov said.

If the other participants are eager to discuss the issue, Moscow "will be ready to discuss it" presenting its stance, he said.