Iran not to accept nuclear obligations beyond NPT

TEHRAN - Iran will not accept nuclear obligations beyond the directives of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

Speaking at his weekly press conference, Abbas Araqchi denied that his country has made any agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the latter's inspection on Iran's facilities.

The IAEA has been urging Iran to grant it access to the Parchin military site, which has been its main concern in terms of nuclear experiments. But Tehran has so far refused to allow the UN nuclear watchdog to inspect the site, citing the lack of any agreement on a "structured approach."

Hopes are running high in the international community for Iran to resolve its nuclear stand-off with the West after moderate Hassan Rouhani won the Iranian presidential election on June 14.

On June 17, the president-elect said that his country will try to be more "transparent" in its nuclear issue.

He said the incoming government will follow two steps on the nuclear front. "Firstly, Iran will have more transparency to tell the world that it is doing things in accordance with international regulations. And secondly, we will boost trust between Iran and the world."

Rouhani will take office on August 4 to succeed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has been Iran's president for eight years.