Iran to Allow More UN Inspections of Nuclear Sites

Jonathan Tirone, Bloomberg:

Iran today agreed to allow stepped- up inspections by United Nations atomic experts, as U.S. and European delegates began negotiations to avoid the escalation of a dispute over the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions.

``Iran isn't going for confrontation,'' the country's ambassador to the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamad Mahdi Akhondzeh, told reporters as the IAEA board of governors met in Vienna to discuss Iran's nuclear program. ``Iran is ready to fulfill the UN's requests for more inspections.'' READ MORE

Iran claims the right to enrich uranium, which can be used to generate energy or make an atomic bomb. The U.S. and its European allies want Iran to give up uranium enrichment, citing the country's 20-year history of hidden nuclear activities.

The U.S. has threatened to refer Iran to the UN Security Council, where it may face economic sanctions, unless the country abandons uranium enrichment. Akhondzeh said ``there is no consensus'' among the 35 IAEA governors on whether to refer the issue to the council.

The IAEA said it needs access to more people and sites involved in Iran's nuclear program before the agency can assure the world the country is using nuclear power only for peaceful purposes. Iran resumed the conversion of raw uranium to uranium hexafluoride gas at its Isfahan facility on Aug. 9. A uranium enrichment facility at Natanz was sealed at the IAEA's request.

`Diplomatic Brinksmanship'

``We're going through a period of confrontation and diplomatic brinksmanship,'' IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei told reporters in Vienna as talks began. ``All parties have expressed their preference to return to negotiations.''

The IAEA is seeking more access to Iran's Parchin military facility, ElBaradei told the board of governors. The agency also needs documents explaining how Iran was able to access the technology and equipment needed to enrich uranium. IAEA inspectors were in Iran last week.

``I would like to see a united international community,'' ElBaradei said after being asked whether referring the dispute over Iran to the UN Security Council would risk splitting the IAEA's board. The board usually passes resolutions by consensus, rather than submit to votes, in an effort to show unity.

A three-year dispute between the U.S. and North Korea ended today with the communist nation's agreement to give up its nuclear arsenal and rejoin a global treaty to halt the spread of such weapons. In return, the U.S. is providing security guarantees. halt the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

`Confidence'

``We pledge to work with North Korea to go back and do inspections to ensure that all nuclear weapons programs have been abandoned,'' ElBaradei said. ``What we see coming from Korea gives me a lot of confidence that complex issues can be solved.

North Korea vowed to dismantle its arms and admit UN inspectors to verify closure of nuclear facilities, according to a statement signed in Beijing with the U.S., China, South Korea, Japan and Russia. The U.S. promised not to attack North Korea and affirmed it had no nuclear weapons in South Korea.

Iran, with the second largest oil reserves in the world, expects its energy needs to double in the next 20 years to about 60,000 megawatts annually. The country's legislature last year approved plans for nuclear power to generate 20,000 megawatts of energy for the country's 68 million people by 2025.

Akhondzeh said that Iran wants to create international joint ventures with companies to bring investment to the country's nuclear program and facilitate openness.

`Fully Open'

``We're extending our hand to the private and public sectors to develop a peaceful nuclear program,'' Akhondzeh said. ``Whatever activity we do would be fully open to inspections.''

The U.S. wants to block Iran, which it brands a state sponsor of terrorism, from developing nuclear weapons that might pose a global threat. Germany, France and the U.K., also called the EU- 3, had been in U.S.-backed talks with Iran to limit its nuclear program in exchange for economic incentives. Those talks broke down after Iran re-started uranium conversion.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for a ``far- reaching'' compromise to the deadlock in a UN address in New York Sept. 17. The country is willing to continue talks with the EU-3.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan Tirone in Vienna at jtirone@bloomberg.net.