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UN nuclear head in Iran for talks | UN nuclear head in Iran for talks |
(about 6 hours later) | |
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed ElBaradei, is holding talks in Tehran on Iran's nuclear programme. | |
During the two-day visit, he is expected to meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. | |
Mr ElBaradei is hoping to clarify the scope of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme, which the West fears could be used to produce a bomb. | Mr ElBaradei is hoping to clarify the scope of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme, which the West fears could be used to produce a bomb. |
Tehran insists the programme is solely to generate electricity. | Tehran insists the programme is solely to generate electricity. |
The deputy head of Iran's nuclear agency, Mohammed Saeedi, said co-operation with the IAEA had entered a new phase. | |
As well as meeting the Iranian president, Mr ElBaradei is expected to hold talks with top officials including Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. | |
He has been trying to resolve various issues about the history of Iran's nuclear programme. | |
A spokeswoman said he was making the current visit with the hope of "resolving all remaining outstanding issues and enabling the agency to provide assurance about Iran's past and present activities". | A spokeswoman said he was making the current visit with the hope of "resolving all remaining outstanding issues and enabling the agency to provide assurance about Iran's past and present activities". |
Enriching uranium | Enriching uranium |
Iran insists its nuclear programme is only to provide energy | Iran insists its nuclear programme is only to provide energy |
Mr ElBaradei will also be looking at how to monitor Iran's future nuclear activities. | Mr ElBaradei will also be looking at how to monitor Iran's future nuclear activities. |
But so far he has made little progress in persuading Iran to stop the controversial process of enriching uranium, says the BBC's John Leyne in Tehran. | But so far he has made little progress in persuading Iran to stop the controversial process of enriching uranium, says the BBC's John Leyne in Tehran. |
The US is currently pushing for a third round of UN sanctions against Iran over its refusal to stop enriching uranium, a process which can be used both to make atomic fuel and a bomb. | The US is currently pushing for a third round of UN sanctions against Iran over its refusal to stop enriching uranium, a process which can be used both to make atomic fuel and a bomb. |
Washington has said it believes Iran is planning to build a nuclear bomb. | Washington has said it believes Iran is planning to build a nuclear bomb. |
Its campaign for tougher sanctions lost some steam when a US intelligence report last month suggested Iran had abandoned its nuclear weapons programme in 2003. | Its campaign for tougher sanctions lost some steam when a US intelligence report last month suggested Iran had abandoned its nuclear weapons programme in 2003. |
But US President George W Bush, who is currently visiting the region, still says that Iran is a threat to world security. | But US President George W Bush, who is currently visiting the region, still says that Iran is a threat to world security. |
"Iran will be a threat to world peace if the international community does not come together and prevent that nation from the development of the know-how to build a nuclear weapon," Mr Bush said on Wednesday during a visit to Israel. | "Iran will be a threat to world peace if the international community does not come together and prevent that nation from the development of the know-how to build a nuclear weapon," Mr Bush said on Wednesday during a visit to Israel. |
Tehran insists that its sole aim is to generate electricity that does not rely on a finite supply of fossil fuels. | Tehran insists that its sole aim is to generate electricity that does not rely on a finite supply of fossil fuels. |