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![]() by Staff Writers Tehran (AFP) May 25, 2011
Iran on Wednesday dismissed as unfounded a UN nuclear agency new report on the possible military aspect of Tehran's atomic drive, saying the body was deviating from the rules under Western influence. "Unfortunately the (International Atomic Energy) Agency is deviating from the rules under the influence of certain countries," ISNA news agency quoted Iran's atomic chief Fereydoon Abbasi Davani as saying after a cabinet meeting. Davani urged the agency to normalise Iran's dossier, arguing that Tehran's nuclear activities should not be discussed by Security Council members. The IAEA said on Tuesday that it was assessing new information on "possible undisclosed" military dimensions to the Islamic republic's nuclear activities, elevating concerns about the true nature of Tehran's atomic ambitions. In a restricted new report, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, the agency said there were indications that the alleged work in Iran "may have continued beyond 2004." A senior international official familiar with the IAEA investigation said the work may even have continued "until rather recently", including in 2010. Davani rejected the claims, saying "such evidence are always produced by some Western countries to (influence) international bodies, including the agency, to push them into making wrong decisions," Mehr news agency reported. "With the advancement of technology, forging documents happens with ease today. They can easily forge documents against the peaceful nuclear activities of our country," Mehr quoted him as saying. He advised western countries to "stop and change their behaviour" toward Iran. Earlier Iran's envoy to the IAEA Ali Asghar Soltanieh said the new report was "based on unfounded allegations and speculation regarding some activities with supposed military objectives." "The agency's scientific and professional reputation will without a doubt be damaged for dealing with these accusations, failing to provide solid evidence, and seeking political objectives," the official IRNA news agency quoted him as saying. Many Western countries fear Iran is seeking to acquire a nuclear military capacity under the guise of its civilian atomic programme, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied. The UN Security Council has condemned Iran's atomic activities in six resolutions, including four sets of economic and political sanctions, despite continuing inspections of Iranian installations by the IAEA. The main target of the sanctions is Iran's uranium enrichment programme, which can produce either fuel for a nuclear reactor or the fissile material for an atomic warhead. The IAEA report also said the Islamic republic has continued to amass more low-enriched uranium in defiance of multiple rounds of UN sanctions. Soltanieh said the report confirmed that Iran was "successfully" pushing forward with its enrichment work. "It has been clearly noted in the report that our nuclear activities, including enrichment, are being conducted successfully under supervision of the agency," IRNA quoted him as saying.
Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
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