UN Nuclear Agency Prepares to Release Iran Report
By VOA News
26 August 2009
United Nations nuclear inspectors are expected to release the latest report on Iran's nuclear program later this week, as Western diplomats build a case for stronger sanctions against Tehran.
Diplomatic sources in Vienna say Western countries are pushing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to declassify more intelligence reports on Iran's efforts to build a nuclear weapon.
Iran says its nuclear facilities are for generating electricity. But Western nations suspect the country is building nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials concerned about possible air strikes against their nuclear facilities are pushing for a United Nations ban on such attacks. The proposal, which reportedly has the support of the 118-nation nonaligned movement, is expected to be submitted when IAEA nations meet next month.
The IAEA passed a resolution in 1990 that banned military strikes on peaceful nuclear facilities. Analysts say Iran wants to reduce the chances of an attack by trying to win passage of another such ban.
Israeli warplanes destroyed Iraq's only nuclear reactor in 1981 and two years ago bombed a suspected nuclear reactor site in Syria.
While Iran continues to deny it has a nuclear weapons program, it has defied U.N. resolutions to stop enriching uranium. Only recently Iranian officials allowed international inspectors to visit a reactor, after denying them entry for a year.
An IAEA report in June said Tehran is using 5,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium.
Diplomats this week said Iran has installed an additional 2,000 centrifuges, although it has not increased the number involved in enrichment.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
