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September 8, 2010

In the wake of a new report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), wants Iran to fully cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog to find a “comprehensive, long-term and appropriate solution” to Tehran’s controversial nuclear issue.

“China has taken notice of the IAEA report,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said at a media briefing on a new IAEA report that says that Iran has accumulated sufficient low-enriched uranium (LEU) to make three nuclear devices despite toughened international sanctions.

“We hope parties concerned would increase efforts and resume related dialogues and negotiation as soon as possible, to seek a comprehensive, long-term and appropriate solution to the issue,” she said.

Stressing the importance of Iran cooperating with the IAEA, the spokeswoman said it (Iran’s cooperation) could “establish the trust of the international community in the peaceful nature of their nuclear plants.”

After months of resistance, China, Iran’s largest trading partner last year, voted for a U.S. resolution in the U.N. Council (UNSC) imposing a fourth round of sanctions on Tehran.

IAEA Chief Yukiya Amano on Monday presented his report, a quarterly update, on Iran’s nuclear issue to the agency’s 35-member Board of Governors as well as the UNSC.

The report says Iran currently possesses 22 kilograms of 20 per cent enriched uranium and 2.8 tons of uranium enriched at 3.5 per cent. If further refined, the material, despite being supervised by IAEA inspectors, could potentially be used to make weapons grade uranium.

The agency also cited Iran’s obstructionist tactics that make it difficult to confirm quantities of certain nuclear materials.

The nuclear watchdog’s report also raises concerns over Iran’s consistent rejection of its decisions regarding the identity of the inspectors, pointing out that in June Tehran denied two of its inspectors answers about and access to its nuclear sites after the latter reported that Iran conducted undeclared nuclear experiments.

The report says that the IAEA remains concerned about the “possible existence in Iran of past or undisclosed nuclear related activities” involving military organizations, including the possible “development of a nuclear payload for a missile.”

The report called on Iran to cooperate more with the IAEA to clarify the intent of its nuclear program, besides providing access to all sites, equipment, persons and documents requested by the agency.

The U.S. and some of its allies accuse Tehran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to build nuclear weapons but Tehran denies the charge, saying the program is just geared toward generating electricity.

by RTT Staff Writer