Reformist MP Mohsen Mirdamadi and head of parliament's national security and foreign policy committee said: "Accepting the protocol does not mean that we are obliged to execute it tomorrow, the negotiations over the acceptance of the protocol can take a long time, even several years.

"The countries that intend to accept the protocol must start negotiations with IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Authority) and reach agreement on its regulations. This is a complicated task and will take some time, for some countries it has taken up to three years," he added.

Mirdamadi defended the acceptance of the NPT protocol that allows spot checks and said: "Considering the present international situation, if we don't accept the protocol, the international pressures on us will increase seriously, this must be considered by the regime and the appropriate decision must be made".

Iran has asked the IAEA to send a team of legal experts, expected in Tehran in the next few days, to brief the authorities on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty protocol, Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said.

On Monday, EU foreign ministers expressed "increasing concern" over Iran's nuclear programme and warned the trade bloc would review relations with Tehran unless it cooperated fully with the UN's nuclear watchdog agency.

Iran's foreign ministry rejected Tuesday any conditions or threats attached to its negotiations with the European Union (EU).

SPACE.WIRE