Visiting Director-General of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei said in Cairo on Sunday the UN
nuclear watchdog was making "good progress" in finishing
outstanding issues on Iran's nuclear file.
ElBaradei, who is expected to issue a report around February 20
on his visit to Iran and IAEA's inquiry into Iran's nuclear
activity, made the remarks following talks with Arab League
Secretary General Amr Moussa.
ElBaradei called on the oil-rich country to fully cooperate with
the international nuclear agency to make broader inspections on its
present nuclear program.
The IAEA chief stressed the importance of holding multilateral
negotiations between Iran and the international community in order
to disperse many Western countries' fear of Iran's nuclear
program.
Some western countries have alleged that Iran was using the
cover of a civilian nuclear program to develop nuclear weapons,
which was repeatedly denied by Tehran.
The UN Security Council has adopted two resolutions – one in
December 2006 and the other in March of 2007 – to force Iran to
suspend uranium enrichment activities and to give up its nuclear
programs. However, the resolutions were called "useless paper" by
Iranian officials.
World powers have agreed on the outline of a third sanction
resolution against Iran and the Security Council has held
discussions on it.
Iran has downplayed the effect of possible new sanctions, saying
Tehran would show "serious and logical reaction" if the Security
Council issued a third resolution.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2008)
