Amano chides Iran for not cooperating with inspectors

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

UN nuclear watchdog chief says he cannot confirm if Islamic Republic's nuclear activities are peaceful because Teheran is stonewalling IAEA.

VIENNA— International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano on Monday warned that he cannot confirm that all of Iran's nuclear activities are peaceful because Teheran is not fully cooperating with his inspectors.

Amano also chided Iran for barring some of those inspectors and for stonewalling his agency's attempt to probe allegations that Teheran is interested in developing atomic arms.

Amano spoke at the start of a 35-nation board meeting of the IAEA.

Iran insists that its nuclear activities are meant only to generate energy but is under UN sanctions for refusing to stop uranium enrichment, which can be used both to make fuel and fissile nuclear warhead material.

Last week, the IAEA released a report expressing concern over Iran's increased uranium stockpile and the Islamic Republic's refusal to fully cooperate with UN inspectors.

Iran recently decided to strip two experienced inspectors of the right to monitor Teheran's nuclear activities after they reported undeclared nuclear experiments conducted by the Islamic Republic. Iran said the reporting by the two was inaccurate but the IAEA stands by their findings.

Iran's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi responded to the IAEA report, stating that Teheran has the right to bar some UN inspectors from monitoring its disputed nuclear program.