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Senior Iranian Official Mohammad-Javad Larijani, the Head of the Institute for Research and Fundamental Sciences, said in a June 12, 2019 interview on Channel 2 TV (Iran) that the IAEA observers and inspectors, which he described as "cockroaches," should not be allowed into Iran or its scientific facilities, and that Iran is under no obligation to provide them with information. He stressed that Iran is not actually committed to the JCPOA or the NPT because the other signatories are doing whatever they want, and he said that Iran should suspend and renegotiate its membership in the NPT. Larijani added that Iran has the right to engage in all types of nuclear research, including laser enrichment. He also said that Iran is not limited by the level of its uranium enrichment and that in some cases, it needs uranium enriched to 90%. Mohammad-Javad Larijani is a former MP and a former deputy foreign minister, and he has previously served as Khamenei's advisor on foreign affairs. He is the international deputy of the chief justice and secretary of the high council for human rights. He is also the brother of Ali Larijani, the speaker of the Iranian Majlis, and of Sadeq Larijani, the Head of Expediency Council.
Mohammad-Javad Larijani: "I'd like to say something that might be bad from a diplomatic perspective. In my opinion, the cockroaches that we have in this country in the form of IAEA observers and inspectors – it will be insolence if they enter our scientific facilities. Why should they go there?
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"We have no commitment. If we keep the [nuclear deal], we do it as a voluntary act. Let's not allow [the IAEA inspectors] into Iran. Who are they? This obligation is like a shackle and a lock that we tied to our legs with our own hand.
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"How do we benefit from the NPT, of which we are a member state? It does not fulfill any of its good intentions. It wouldn't be a bad idea for us to suspend our commitment in the wake of all this pressure, and renegotiate it from the beginning. I'm not saying that the NPT is a bad thing. The NPT is a very good thing, considering the current vacuum. But this does not mean that we would accept the commitments, while others do whatever they want. That's inconceivable. The Zionist entity has it, and that guy has it, but when it comes to us, they talk about the NPT. This is nonsense.
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"I've used the word 'cockroaches,' but they themselves say 'bug.' Why should we provide information to the IAEA cockroaches? They want to rob our generation of its courage. We have made no international commitment to provide them information. None whatsoever.
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"Since the [JCPOA] was torn and trampled on by all those who make false claims and who demand to hold negotiations, we have no justified international obligation. Since they want to make those limitations permanent, this should serve as an alarm call. We must show them as quickly as we can that we do not accept these obligations. Our people and our scientists have the right to engage in nuclear research in all fields – even in laser... They banned us from engaging in laser [enrichment] and similar fields, but we have no less right to do this than any other country. This is nothing less than the right of the American and European scientists. They cannot say 'because you are Iranians, this scientific field is off limits for you.' This is the worst insult to science. We Iranians will not comply with this.
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"The fatwa of our Jurisprudent Ruler prevents us from pursuing nuclear weapons, but this does not mean that we are denied access to new enrichment technologies, or that our enrichment must be limited to sub-3.5% levels. Sometimes we need enrichment of 90%. We have no limit whatsoever.
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"There are very advanced fields where a high level of enrichment is needed. Like all countries, we must not stop these fields."
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