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Iran 'nuclear questions remain' | Iran 'nuclear questions remain' |
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The UN's nuclear watchdog says it cannot provide "credible assurances" that Iran is not building a bomb despite new data supplied by Tehran. | The UN's nuclear watchdog says it cannot provide "credible assurances" that Iran is not building a bomb despite new data supplied by Tehran. |
The International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had granted new site access but remained evasive on key issues. | The International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had granted new site access but remained evasive on key issues. |
Iran was still enriching uranium in defiance of UN resolutions and was testing advanced centrifuges to speed up the process, the report said. | Iran was still enriching uranium in defiance of UN resolutions and was testing advanced centrifuges to speed up the process, the report said. |
Iran said the report was "positive" and would hamper calls for new sanctions. | Iran said the report was "positive" and would hamper calls for new sanctions. |
"This report showed that our activities are peaceful," Reuters news agency quoted top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili as saying in Tehran. | "This report showed that our activities are peaceful," Reuters news agency quoted top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili as saying in Tehran. |
'Serious concern' | 'Serious concern' |
But BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the IAEA findings are mixed at best and not the clean bill of health Iran had sought. | |
He says the report sets the scene for renewed efforts by the US and its key European allies to try to bring in a new, third round of economic sanctions against Tehran at the United Nations. | |
Iran's key nuclear sites | Iran's key nuclear sites |
Senior diplomats from the US, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia will meet in Washington on Monday to discuss next steps regarding Iran's nuclear programme. | |
Last month, the five permanent members of the Security Council agreed on the text of a new draft resolution against Tehran. | |
Tehran refuses to stop enriching uranium, claiming its nuclear programme is purely for power generation. | Tehran refuses to stop enriching uranium, claiming its nuclear programme is purely for power generation. |
The IAEA forged a deal last August with Iran for a timetable to resolve questions over aspects of its past nuclear activities. | The IAEA forged a deal last August with Iran for a timetable to resolve questions over aspects of its past nuclear activities. |
'Not sufficient' | |
But Friday's report said Tehran had avoided a proper response to claims it had made covert efforts to "weaponise" nuclear material, conducted high explosives testing and design work on a missile warhead. | But Friday's report said Tehran had avoided a proper response to claims it had made covert efforts to "weaponise" nuclear material, conducted high explosives testing and design work on a missile warhead. |
"This is a matter of serious concern and critical to an assessment of a possible military dimension to Iran's nuclear programme," the report said. | "This is a matter of serious concern and critical to an assessment of a possible military dimension to Iran's nuclear programme," the report said. |
Without this data, the agency would not be able to provide "credible assurances about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran," the report added. | Without this data, the agency would not be able to provide "credible assurances about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran," the report added. |
In Vienna, Austria, IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei told reporters Iran had shown new transparency but this was still not "sufficient". | |
The nuclear watchdog reported in August 2007 that Iran had not suspended enrichment and was continuing to construct a heavy water plant (which could produce plutonium). | |
In December last year a US intelligence assessment claimed Iran had conducted a nuclear weapons programme until 2003 but that it had probably not restarted it. |