Iran resumes uranium enrichment: IAEA

Times of India:

Iran has resumed uranium enrichment which was suspended under a deal with the European Union and critical questions remain about its atomic programme, the UN nuclear watchdog said.

In a new report, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Tehran has resumed its uranium enrichment programme and asserted that questions remained about its atomic programme. It confirmed that Iran has pushed ahead with nuclear fuel work which the IAEA had called on it on August 11 to halt, in order to save talks with the European Union on guaranting Tehran's atomic programme is peaceful. READ MORE

The agency said it was still not in a position to conclude that there are no undeclared nuclear materials or activities in Iran. "In view of the fact that the agency is not yet in a position to clarify some of the important outstanding issues after 2-1/2 years of intensive inspections and investigation, Iran's full transparency is indispensable and overdue", the report by IAEA chief Mohamed El Baradei said.

The report is likely to heighten tensions between Iran and the West, a week before a critical meeting of the IAEA board which could refer the issue to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

Iran maintains that its programme is purely for peaceful uses but the US believes Tehran is secretly pursuing a nuclear weapon development programme. The report, distributed to IAEA board members yesterday, is still confidential but its contents have been leaked to select Western media.