IAEA Urges Continued Nuclear Inspections in Iran
VOA News
19 Jun 2003, 12:32 UTC
The International Atomic Energy Agency is calling on Iran to allow continued inspections and monitoring of its nuclear facilities, amid allegations by the United States that Iran is secretly producing nuclear weapons.
The U.N. nuclear agency, meeting in Vienna, issued a statement Thursday urging Iran to grant the agency all access deemed necessary to defuse suspicions that Tehran is operating a secret nuclear program, a charge Iran denies.
The statement came one day after the IAEA debated a report saying Iran is refusing to disclose information on its importation, processing and storage of nuclear materials, despite promising to do so. President Bush says the world will not tolerate the acquisition or development of nuclear weapons by Iran a development he says would be dangerous.
Mr. Bush says he has discussed the issue with several world leaders. Meanwhile, another issue creating friction between the Bush administration and Tehran concerns recent Iranian demonstrations for greater freedom. The protests have been expressions of anger at both the government of President Mohammad Khatami, as well as unelected Islamic clerics who have been blocking the president's efforts at reform.
Iran accuses the United States of instigating the protests, interfering in its internal affairs, a charge Washington denies. But President Bush has made clear that the Iranian demonstrators have his moral support.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
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