Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 6 /Trend/
The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday urged Iran to fully cooperate with the body to dispel doubts about the nature of its nuclear programme, dpa reported.
"Iran has not provided necessary cooperation to enable the agency to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in a speech during a visit to Indonesia.
"I'm encouraging Iran to take steps forward for full implementation of its obligations in order to establish international confidence in the peaceful nature of their activities," he said.
Iranian nuclear program has caused concern since 2003, when the IAEA became aware of its concealed activity. In late 2003, Iran signed the Additional Protocol to the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons and voluntarily announced about the suspension of uranium enrichment. However, it returned to this activity.
Refined uranium is used both to produce nuclear weapons and as fuel for nuclear power plants. The U.S. and its allies accuse Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to develop nuclear weapons. Iran has denied the charges, saying its nuclear program is aimed at generating electricity and producing isotopes to treat medical patients.
Last June the Security Council imposed a fourth round of sanctions against it, citing the proliferation risks of its nuclear programme and its continued failure to cooperate with the IAEA.
Edited by T.Konyayeva.