IAEA pushes for quick answers from Iran

By Albert Otti Nov 17, 2011, 17:27 GMT

Vienna - The United Nations' nuclear watchdog said Thursday it seeks quick answers from Iran about the agency's recent report, which contained strong indications that Iran has worked to develop a nuclear weapon.

At the same time, the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany jointly drafted a resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which contained a veiled ultimatum for Tehran.

'It is clear that Iran has a case to answer,' IAEA chief Yukiya Amano told reporters in Vienna, where the agency's board of governors was meeting.

The IAEA director general also said he did not want to wait too long for Iran to agree to his proposal to send his chief nuclear inspector to Tehran.

There might not be an immediate answer, he said, 'but it would not be appropriate to take a long time.'

The resolution, to be voted on by the board on Friday, calls on Iran to answer the questions raised by the IAEA report and tasks Amano with reporting about Tehran's reaction before the next meeting of the nuclear watchdog's board in March.

Western countries have warned that they might slap additional sanctions on Iran should it not address concerns about its nuclear activities soon.

The resolution 'expresses deep and increasing concern about the unresolved issues regarding the Iranian nuclear programme, including those which need to be clarified to exclude the existence of possible military dimensions,' according to a draft obtained by dpa.

Amano noted that last week's report 'indicates that Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device.'

Some of the projects might be ongoing, he added.

Russia and China, which both hold veto powers in the UN Security Council, have criticized the IAEA's report, saying it might escalate the stand-off with Iran.

Despite their criticism, both countries have been quietly working on the IAEA resolution, along with the United States, Britain, France and Germany.

'I must alert the world,' Amano said. 'Can I sit on this information?'

The IAEA report has raised concerns that Israel, which views a nuclear armed Iran as an existential threat, could attack Iran's nuclear facilities.

Iran denies it is seeking a nuclear weapon and says its programme is peaceful.

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