Iran is 'special case' for UN atomic watchdog: Amano
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
VIENNA, June 7 (AFP): UN atomic watchdog chief Yukiya Amano described Iran Monday as a 'special case' in terms of the agency's monitoring work owing to allegations of possible military dimensions to its contested atomic drive.
The West accuses Iran of seeking to build a nuclear bomb, a charge that Tehran vehemently denies. But after more than seven years of intensive investigation, the International Atomic Energy Agency is still not in a position to state once and for all that the Islamic republic's nuclear activities are entirely peaceful as Tehran claims.
Iran insists that its case should be treated as routine matter by the IAEA, as is the case with any other member state.
But in his opening address to the agency's 35-member board of governors here, Amano said: "Iran is a special case because, among other things, of the existence of issues related to possible military dimensions to its nuclear programme."
In its latest report on Iran, circulated to member states last week, the IAEA complained that Tehran is pressing ahead with its contested uranium enrichment activities -- despite three existing rounds of UN sanctions -- and is now producing enriched uranium at even higher levels of purification.
And the report said the agency remained concerned about the true nature of Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"Iran has not provided the necessary cooperation to permit the agency to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities," Amano told the closed-door session of the board of governors again on Monday.
Amano also said the IAEA was still waiting an official response from the United States, France and Russia to Iran's proposed fuel swap deal with Turkey and Brazil.
Amano said he had forwarded the proposed agreement to Washington, Paris and Moscow for their views immediately after receiving it from Iran on May 24.
"I am now awaiting their responses, and will continue to consult with all concerned parties on this matter," Amano said.
The West accuses Iran of seeking to build a nuclear bomb, a charge that Tehran vehemently denies. But after more than seven years of intensive investigation, the International Atomic Energy Agency is still not in a position to state once and for all that the Islamic republic's nuclear activities are entirely peaceful as Tehran claims.
Iran insists that its case should be treated as routine matter by the IAEA, as is the case with any other member state.
But in his opening address to the agency's 35-member board of governors here, Amano said: "Iran is a special case because, among other things, of the existence of issues related to possible military dimensions to its nuclear programme."
In its latest report on Iran, circulated to member states last week, the IAEA complained that Tehran is pressing ahead with its contested uranium enrichment activities -- despite three existing rounds of UN sanctions -- and is now producing enriched uranium at even higher levels of purification.
And the report said the agency remained concerned about the true nature of Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"Iran has not provided the necessary cooperation to permit the agency to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities," Amano told the closed-door session of the board of governors again on Monday.
Amano also said the IAEA was still waiting an official response from the United States, France and Russia to Iran's proposed fuel swap deal with Turkey and Brazil.
Amano said he had forwarded the proposed agreement to Washington, Paris and Moscow for their views immediately after receiving it from Iran on May 24.
"I am now awaiting their responses, and will continue to consult with all concerned parties on this matter," Amano said.