Iran Invites Officials for Nuclear Tour Ahead of Talks

Russia, China, EU and Others Invited to Tour Iran's Nuclear Sites

According to a newly leaked letter, the Iranian government has invited high ranking officials from across the world, including top Russian, Chinese, EU, and non-aligned officials, to tour Iran’s nuclear sites on January 15.

Though the letter did not indicate the sites, diplomats say the tour would include both the Bushehr power lant and the Natanz enrichment facility, and would also include meetings with Iran’s Foreign Minister and top nuclear negotiators.

The US, which was not invited in the first place, condemned the offer to tour the facilities as a “clever ploy” and insisted that they would not allow it to district from moves against Iran going forward.

The visit would come just ahead of the Istanbul talks between Iran and the P5+1, which officials from five of the six P5+1 nations are putting forward as an opportunity to come to some sort of deal, and which the US is condemning as proof that Iran doesn’t want to talk.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.