Iran says IAEA report has nothing new on Iran's nuke program

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.21

By Fatih Karimov - Trend:

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recent report on Iran's nuclear program contains no new information and is completely the same as its previous report which was published two weeks ago, Iran's Atomic Energy Organization's spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said.

Kamalvandi said the recent report is pertinent to the previous report and has nothing new in it, Iran's Mehr news agency reported on November 21.

This is a short report which touched on the Joint Plan of Action and issues of the past, he noted.

IAEA chief Yukiya Amano says he is still unable to provide "credible assurance" Iran had no undeclared nuclear material and activities.

Tehran has yet to explain away allegations it conducted atomic bomb research, Amano said on Thursday, four days before a deadline for Iran and six world powers to reach a deal on the Iranian nuclear program.

The talks - which have dragged on for more than a year - are aimed at setting limits on Iran's nuclear program in return for an end to sanctions that have seriously hurt its economy.

"Iran has not provided any explanations that enable the agency to clarify the outstanding practical measures," Amano told the U.N. agency's 35-nation board of governors, also meeting in the Austrian capital.

He was referring to information Iran was supposed to have given the IAEA by late August concerning allegations of explosives tests and other activity that could indicate preparations for developing nuclear bombs.

Iran denies any intention of seeking atomic weapons, saying its nuclear program is aimed at generating electricity.

"I call upon Iran to increase its cooperation with the agency and to provide timely access to all relevant information, documentation, sites, material and personnel," Amano said.