JOHN HOCKENBERRY, for The Takeaway: Good morning, Ambassador.

ALI ASGHAR SOLTANIEH, Iranian ambassador to the IAEA: Good morning, pleasure to be with you.

HOCKENBERRY: So, Ambassador, it seems to be pretty straightforward, the disclosure by the Iranian government of the second uranium enrichment plant; I gather you're going to allow inspectors, correct?

SOLTANIEH: Yes, I wrote a letter on the 21st of September and delivered it to [the IAEA] Director General and announced to him about this new, second enrichment plant, and then, of course, had a meeting with the D-G and other officials, we are planning for inspections, because we are going to put under the fullest safeguard of the IAEA, for sure.

HOCKENBERRY: Okay, Mr. Ambassador, when can we expect inspectors to be allowed into Iran to take a look at the second facility?

SOLTANIEH: This is just a matter of normal procedure by the IAEA, because normally, when you announce about a facility, according to our obligation, you know, that all members parties to NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] that have safeguard agreement under the document 153 have to report six months before they put nuclear materials inside. In fact, we have informed them much sooner than we were obliged, and so the agency will consider it and will plan whenever these inspectors are appropriate for them, and then we will arrange both together ...

HOCKENBERRY: Right, but let's just note, though, that the plant was a secret for quite some time. I just want to be clear on this: it's your belief and your contention that when Iran sits down on October 1st with the U.S. and other foreign governments who have demanded that international inspectors be allowed to look at this new facility, that Iran is going to agree, to concede that inspectors will be allowed in whenever they want.

SOLTANIEH: Look, we have to distinguish between these two. We will not listen to anyone to dictate to us. We have obligations as members of the IAEA, we have obligations because we are parties to NPT, and we will do our responsibility. It is not a matter for anyone from New York or somewhere else to dictate to us what to do. We are doing it: We have been fully cooperating and all our nuclear installations are under 24-hour cameras of the IAEA, and this installation also, that we have announced, will be. It is a pity that they are talking about 'secret' plans or deception or concealment. This is very normal, all over the world, when they make a nuclear facilities, there are a process of civilian construction, but before they put nuclear materials, they are informed to tell the IAEA where it is and what kind of locations they are, and what kind of facilities they are.

HOCKENBERRY: [crosstalk] But let's be clear, when you break ground on a factory, there's a ribbon-cutting ceremony. When you break ground on a uranium reprocessing facility, you keep it secret, isn't that true?

SOLTANIEH: Definitely ...

HOCKENBERRY: Definitely, that's clear ... [crosstalk]

SOLTANIEH: Just a moment. I have already said in my letter to Director General that starting with the concerns, security concerns, yes, because we have been continuously under threat of attack by the Israeli regime and also the Bush administration several times, and we have documented all these threats in the United Nations and the IAEA. Therefore we have to be very careful to have these sensitive activities under the IAEA safeguard, but to be fully protected from any attack, yes, you're right, that's why we [crosstalk] ... put in the right place.

HOCKENBERRY: Alright, let's talk about the suggestion that Iran might be under attack from Israel and others. Does it make your job harder or easier, as a nuclear ambassador ... an ambassador to the IAEA, that your government is firing off long-range missiles this morning, two days before these talks on nuclear policy?

SOLTANIEH: Well, let's distinguish the fact that, first of all, if is there is any manuevering or any ... as it was said officially, it's not the domain of my responsibility. This is, of course, self-defensive as any country would do that. There is no international convention banning that. That was another matter. Regarding the nuclear activities, of course there is a concern, not only Iran's concern, an international concern, last week in the general conference of the IAEA, after 20 years, if Iran made an initiative for protection and prohibition of any armed attack and threat of attack on its nuclear installations, and it was unanimously adapted. It means that this is the concern of international community, because [unclear] consequences of any attack. It has been always a concern, yes, but at the same time, we have always said that we are always committed to working with the the international community. That is why we brought that concern to the IAEA, and it was supported by all the members of the IAEA.

HOCKENBERRY: But Ambassador, can I get a little clarity on this threat -- are you saying that Iran is threatened by attacks from Israel, or that Iran's nuclear facility is threatened? Those are two different things.

SOLTANIEH: Iran's nuclear activities have been threatened by Israel several times, the statements are there, and even during the Bush administration, and I have recorded these and reflected them to the Director General of the IAEA and even recorded this one in the United Nations, therefore this is a matter of concern -- [crosstalk] however, this by no means means that we will stop our nuclear activities. They will continue without interruption, but everything under IAEA.

HOCKENBERRY: Okay, Ambassador, I totally understand that. So why not simply have the inspectors come in and prove to the world that these are civilian nuclear facilities and any attack is completely unwarranted?

SOLTANIEH: That is exactly what we are doing! The enrichment facility is under 24-hours cameras and also unannounced inspections of the IAEA! Over 100 unannounced inspections have been made. That is working and doing the enrichment. And this facility, as I have said, before anyone dictates to us: I have already announced to the agency and we are planning for the inspection. And everything will be, and this new facility will be, under fullest of safeguard of IAEA. We have already done so! Therefore that is what I'm saying, that this hasty, hostile reaction in Pittsburgh was very [unclear] reaction and rather than welcoming Iran's gesture to inform well in advance, they just discouraged us. We could have informed after the meeting of the 1st of October, but we wanted to be transparent, cooperative, and in fact create conducive environment for the meeting. That is why we are very discouraged, and this is very unfortunate that they should appreciate, and in fact I have a letter from the IAEA, has welcomed this announcement, and now we are arranging to have the inspection, and it will be under the IAEA fullest of safeguards.

HOCKENBERRY: Ambassador, I have to say I'm encouraged, because it sounds like from what you're saying, there will be a lot of agreement when negotiators sit down on October 1st, at least on the issue of inspections of this uranium enrichment facility. Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh is the ambassador to the IAEA, in Vienna. Thank you, Ambassador.

SOLTANIEH: I wish you the best.