• Of the194 members present in the parliament on July/15, for the ratification of the the accession bill to the Joint Convention on Spent Fuel and Radiating Waste Management, 138 votes were affirmative, 4 against and five abstention.
• According to the first article of this bill, the Iranian government is entitled to access the Joint Convention composed of one preamble and 44 articles and consequently submit the relevant documents.
• The Parliament members set the following conditions vis-à-vis the above endorsement as follows:
• From the viewpoint of the I.R. of Iran the convention is ratified with the following reservation;

1) International cooperation set in article 1 of the convention includes cooperation for facilitating the purchase of equipment, material, technology know-how and training related to the spent fuel and radiating waste safety management.

2) The article 29 of the convention does not cause any guarantee or binding commitment which the I.R. of Iran has not transparently admitted through ratifying or joining related international conventions or other international law admission.

3) Iran does not oblige itself to the content of article 38 of the convention set on arbitration including the arbitrary rules concerned with IAEA for dispute settelment.

4) Observing the article 139 of the I.R. of Iran constitution for referring to arbitration is obligatory.

5) With respect to the article 41 of the convention observing article 77 of the Iranian constitution is mandatory.

- Mr. B. Kamalvandi, AEOI senior deputy and spokesman, in defense of the bill, in the parliament session, stated that upon 3 years of legal assessment and 1600 expert working hours in AEOI with collaboration with other concerned organs, all ambiguities have been settled in this regard.

He further added that the convention must not be observed from a political angle, but the preference is the importance of promoting individual and environmental safety and exchange of useful experience with other commission members to benefit from joining the convention.

He emphasized that joining the convention is an indication to the countries accusing Iran of acquiring nuclear weapons, that Iran seeks nuclear safety, environmental protection, and standard observation for nuclear fuel transportation according to the international related rules.

He added that this convention does not create any restriction for Iran and will promote international cooperation increase and more credibility for us.