Senior UN nuclear inspector leaving for Iran

VIENNA (AFP) - A senior United Nations nuclear inspector was leaving for Iran to give Tehran a last chance to comply with international inspections, ahead of a crucial UN meeting on the Iranian nuclear program in February, diplomats told AFP.

"It is now up to the Iranian authorities to provide information," said a diplomat close to the UN nuclear watchdog on Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The IAEA deputy director general for safeguards, Ollie Heinonen, was leading the delegation of about six inspectors, the diplomat said.

Another diplomat confirmed the visit would take place.

Heinonen is seeking answers from Iran on five main questions that remain open, three years into an IAEA investigation of an Iranian nuclear program which the United States claims is a cover for the development of illegal weapons.

The IAEA wants answers to a request to visit a former military site in Tehran, questions about Iran's dealing with an international nuclear black market and queries about possible nuclear weapons-related work.

Heinonen is to file a progress report on Iran's disputed nuclear program ahead of an emergency IAEA board of governors meeting in Vienna on February 2, with a more detailed account coming in March, IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei said Monday.

Britain, Germany and France called for the February meeting after Iran resumed uranium enrichment work on January 10. enrished uranium can serve either as fuel for atomic reactors or the raw material for nuclear weapons.

The European Union and the United States are trying to convince key Iranian trading partners Russia and China to back their hard line against Tehran, which includes referring the Islamic Republic to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

But diplomats said the two camps still disagreed on the wording of a resolution for the February 2 meeting.