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A prominent U.S.
think-tank on Friday questioned Tehran's explanation for
activity at its Parchin military site visible in satellite
imagery, saying the movement of vehicles did not appear related
to road work.
"We said that the activities in Parchin are related to road
construction," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted
on Saturday as saying by the IRNA state news agency.
"They (opponents of the deal) have spread these lies before.
Their goal is to damage the agreement," he added.
Parchin is a site to which the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), requested access as
part of the July 14 nuclear accord between Iran and six major
powers, which include the United States.
The U.S.-based Institute for Science and International Security
suggested Iran could be engaged in cleanup work before IAEA
inspectors arrive at the site.
The speaker of Iran's parliament also dismissed the think-tank's
suggestions.
"This is an artificial dispute to distract the world. There are
some movements at Parchin but trying to expand those activities
to the military facility and making a fuss about it is like some
fairy tale,” Ali Larijani was quoted on Saturday by the Fars
news agency as saying.
"Israelis are not happy about the deal and they will do anything
to stop it," he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing U.S.
lawmakers to oppose the nuclear agreement, which he considers a
threat to his country's survival.
Some pro-Israel groups have been spending millions of dollars on
an advertising campaign to persuade members of the U.S. Congress
to reject the deal in the autumn.
(Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin Nouri; Editing by Gareth
Jones)
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