Text Only
Search

 
IAEA: Iran Fails to Suspend Sensitive Nuclear Work by UN Deadline

23 February 2007

IAEA Board of Governors, Vienna, Austria
IAEA Board of Governors, Vienna, Austria
The United Nations nuclear agency says Iran has failed to suspend uranium enrichment as demanded by the U.N. Security Council, as diplomats consider plans for new sanctions against Tehran.

The International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report to the council Thursday saying Iran has expanded uranium enrichment in defiance of the demand. The report clears the way for the council to possibly impose further sanctions on Iran.

On December 23, the U.N. Security Council set a 60-day deadline for Iran to end the enrichment work, and banned Iran's trade in sensitive nuclear and missile technology.

In Washington, U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns says he will travel to London on Monday to meet with U.N. Security Council members to begin drafting another sanctions resolution on Iran.

A senior Iranian nuclear official, Mohammad Saeedi, says Iran cannot accept suspending uranium enrichment because that would be contrary to its rights under international treaties.

The White House voiced disappointment over Iran's failure to comply with international demands to stop enriching uranium. But Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said his country would prefer not to impose new sanctions on Iran.

The IAEA report says Iran has installed two uranium enrichment networks at its underground nuclear plant in Natanz, but has not fed uranium into the system.

Enriched uranium can be used as fuel for nuclear power, or at more highly enriched levels, to build nuclear weapons.

The United States and other major powers suspect Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

emailme.gif E-mail This Article
printerfriendly.gif Print Version

  Related Stories
US Disappointed by Iranian Non-Compliance With UN Resolution
IAEA Says Iran Has Not Suspended Uranium Enrichment
 
  Top Story
Obama to Visit Families of Fort Hood Shooting Victims

  More Stories
Bomb Rocks Northwestern Pakistan
Obama to Address Human Rights on Debut Trip to Asia
US Urges North Korea Not to Escalate Tensions in Yellow Sea
British PM Defends Military Mission in Afghanistan  Audio Clip Available
Tropical Storm Ida Downgraded; Moves Inland
Asia to Welcome President Obama  Video clip available
Obama Makes First China Tour as Economic Interdependence Grows  Audio Clip Available
APEC Marks 20 Years, Looks to Future of Regional Trade  Audio Clip Available
Clinton Urges 'Compassion' for Americans Detained in Iran  Audio Clip Available
World War II Museum Expansion Aims at Younger Generations  Audio Clip Available  Video clip available
North Carolina World War II Veterans Honored in Washington  Video clip available