Iran Continues to Enrich Uranium, UN Nuclear Watchdog Tells Security Council
New York, May 1 2006 6:00PM
One month after the United Nations Security Council called for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment, the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is reporting that this work continues, and it can make no further progress in determining
whether the country is carrying out illicit nuclear activities because it lacks the cooperation of the Government.
“After more than three years of Agency efforts to seek clarity about all aspects of Iran's nuclear programme, the
existing gaps in knowledge continue to be a matter of concern,” IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei told the
Security Council in a report released today.
“Any progress in that regard requires full transparency and active cooperation by Iran - transparency that goes beyond
the measures prescribed in the Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol - if the Agency is to be able to understand
fully the twenty years of undeclared nuclear activities by Iran,” the report adds.
According to the report, Iran’s uranium conversion campaign “is still ongoing.” Iran has continued to feed UF6 gas –
used for uranium enrichment – into large-scale machinery built for that purpose in March.
The report was requested by the Security Council on 29 March, in its first official action after the matter was referred
to it by the Agency, as the Council called on Iran to re-establish full and sustained suspension of all
enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development.
That action followed Iran's decision to resume it s efforts to produce enriched uranium, a substance that can be used
for peaceful purposes, such as generating energy, or for making nuclear weapons. The Tehran Government denies claims by
the United States and other countries that it is trying to develop nuclear weapons.
Today’s report recalls that, until February, Iran had agreed to some transparency measures requested by the Agency,
including access to certain military sites.
However, it says, additional measures, including access to documentation, dual use equipment and relevant individuals,
are still needed for the Agency to be able to verify the scope and nature of Iran's enrichment programme, the purpose
and use of the dual use equipment and materials, and alleged studies which could have a military nuclear dimension.
“Regrettably, these transparency measures are not yet forthcoming,” Mr. ElBaradei states, concluding that “the Agency
cannot make a judgement about, or reach a conclusion on, future compliance or intentions,” although it will keep
pursuing its investigation.
ENDS