Tehran on Monday rejected claims by the six Gulf Cooperation Council members that Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant was an affront to their environment. "It's a matter of surprise that these countries are expressing concern over a power plant which has not started work and received no nuclear fuel injection yet," said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid- Reza Asefi in reaction to the final statement of the 99th PGCC session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.
According to IRNA, Asefi noted that all issues and operations related to Bushehr powerplant fall under supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "The Islamic Republic of Iran has in elaborate discussions with the heads and officials of regional state informed them of the safety of Bushehr powerplant, its high international standards and the double cost of raising the facility's safety; therefore, any concern over likely pollution is a sort of illusion and prejudgment, being not consistent with the IAEA's repeated verifications."
Asefi said the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been willing to cooperate with the IAEA and will continue to do so.
