INTERNATIONAL inspectors have found no clear evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, according to a confidential report by the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
鈥淭he report does not reveal a smoking gun, but it highlights a number of issues on which Iran has still to convince the IAEA that it is doing what it says it is doing,鈥� says a UK Foreign Office official.
IAEA inspectors visited nuclear facilities in Iran, took samples and asked questions of the Iranian authorities. Their report, which is to be discussed by the IAEA鈥檚 board of governors at its next meeting, starting on 13 September in Vienna, says that Iran鈥檚 explanation of why particles of highly enriched uranium were found at two sites, Natanz and Kalaye, is 鈥減lausible鈥�. Iran has maintained that the uranium was from contaminated equipment imported from Pakistan.
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But the report, which has been seen by New 杏吧原创, points out that other findings still have to be explained: the presence of some low-enriched uranium, for example. The UK, along with France and Germany, regards the report as evidence that their policy of placing diplomatic pressure on Iran is working. The US, however, says it reinforces its call for Iran鈥檚 case to be referred to the UN Security Council.
Meanwhile, the IAEA has also sent inspectors to the Republic of Korea after the country admitted enriching small amounts of uranium to near-weapons grade in a laboratory experiment in 2000. The findings will be presented at the IAEA meeting.