IAEA 'concern' over Iran nuclear agenda

IRAN: The UN nuclear watchdog said yesterday Iran had failed to explain Western intelligence reports showing explosives and missile work linked to the production of atomic bombs and that this was a "serious concern".

But the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also said Iran had increased co-operation with UN inspectors in the past few months. The US, which has accused Iran of having a secret programme to build nuclear weapons, said Tehran had failed to meet UN demands and that it would go on pressing for new sanctions against ran.

The agency findings, which also said Iran had failed to clear up all outstanding questions by an agreed February deadline, may be branded negative on balance by big powers.

The IAEA said in a report Iran was being more open with UN monitors than before, but that Tehran was testing technology that could give it the means to enrich uranium much faster.

In unusually strong wording, the agency said Iran had not so far explained documentation pointing to undeclared efforts to "weaponise" nuclear materials by linking uranium processing with explosives and designing of a missile warhead. -

© 2008 Reuters

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times