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In Iran report, UN nuclear watchdog asks for cooperation

The UN nuclear watchdog says although it has been able to continue "to verify the non-diversion" of Iran's nuclear work, it has failed to make any substantial progress on resolving outstanding issues regarding the program.


Click to view image: 'El Badari'


In its latest report on Iran's nuclear program, released on Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) "continues to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran."

The UN body, however, stressed that unless Iran committed itself to further cooperation, the agency would not be able to resolve "outstanding issues" regarding the controversial nuclear program.

Tehran says the only aim of its nuclear program is the civilian applications of the technology. However, the US, Israel and their European allies -- Britain, France and Germany -- accuse the country of pursuing military purposes.


Enrichment Activities

Iran is currently under three rounds of United Nations Security Council sanctions for refusing to halt uranium enrichment activities.

The IAEA report, a copy of which was obtained by Press TV, confirmed that Iran continues to enrich uranium to a level "less than 5 percent".

"Iran has not suspended its enrichment related activities or its work on heavy water related projects as required by the Security Council," read the report.

Uranium, the fuel for a nuclear power plant such as those being constructed in Iran, can also serve in military purposes if enriched to high levels of above 90 percent.

According to IAEA figures, Iran has stockpiled at least 1,339 kg of low-enriched uranium hexafluoride (UF6).

According to the report, more than 7,000 uranium-enriching centrifuges have been installed at the Natanz facility with "4,920 centrifuges" being fed with UF6.


Alleged Studies of Weaponization

In regards to the "alleged studies", the IAEA said in its report that Iran has been "provided with sufficient access to documentation" in the agency's possession to "respond substantively" to the questions raised by the UN body.

With the help of an anti-Iran terrorist group, certain UN member states have provided the IAEA with digital files that accuse Tehran of pursuing a "green salt project, high explosives testing, and the missile re-entry vehicle project".

Tehran says the files have been "fabricated" and it has asked for the original documents to be able to respond to the allegations.

In its report, the IAEA urged states in possession of the documents to extend their cooperation for the agency to be able "to exclude the possibility of military dimensions" to Iran's nuclear program.

"The Director General (Mohamed ElBaradei) urges member states which have provided documentation to the agency to work out new modalities with the agency so that it could share further information with Iran since the agency's inability to share additional information with Iran, and to provide copies or, if possible, originals, is making it difficult for the agency to progress further in its verification."


The Additional Protocol

The report also added that Iran has not "implemented the Additional Protocol".

The Additional Protocol requires member states to provide an expanded declaration of their nuclear activities and grants the agency broader rights of access to sites in the country.

Iran says a broader access would expose sensitive information related to its conventional military and missile related activities, insisting that any government would be reluctant to accept such a protocol because of national security concerns.

Iran officials later Friday reacted to the report by saying that under the NPT, which Iran is a signatory of, the country reserves the right to continue the enrichment for civilian purposes.

Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh, told Press TV that the report was the tale of inspections made in Iranian nuclear facilities by the UN nuclear watchdog.

"Therefore, this is a positive, in fact, report of factual situation on the ground," he said.

MD/MMN


Added: Jun-6-2009 Occurred On: Jun-6-2009
By: dan_man
In:
Iran, Middle East
Tags: Iran, IAEA, UN, nuclear, watchdog, NPT, non-proliferation
Marked as: approved
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