3/7/13
UN Nuclear watchdog raises pressure on Iran to address suspicions it is seeking to build an atomic bomb.
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The U.N.
nuclear watchdog's The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), covened its governing board meeting in Vienna on Tuesday (March 5).
The IAE has been trying for more than a year to persuade Iran to cooperate with a long-stalled agency investigation into suspected nuclear weapons research.
Tehran denies any such activity.
The Agency's priority is to be able to inspect the sprawling military site southeast of the capital Tehran called Parchin.
That's where it is believed Iran built an explosives chamber to carry out tests, possibly a decade ago.
Yukiay Amano, the IAEA's Director General, voiced frustration at the lack of progress in his agency's investigation.
He told the 35-nation governing board on Monday that negotiations with Iran must "proceed with a sense of urgency" and be focused on achieving concrete results soon.
Because Iran is not providing the necessary cooperation with inspectors, Amano said the Agency "cannot conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities."
The United States and its top Gulf ally Saudi Arabia declared on Monday that separate but related talks between Tehran and world powers on a wider diplomatic solution to the nuclear dispute, could not go on indefinitely.
Israel, Iran's arch-enemy, is convinced Tehran is secretly trying to develop a nuclear weapon.
It has threatened pre-emptive war against Tehran if it deems diplomacy to be ultimately futile.
Iran was upbeat last week after talks with the powers in Kazakhstan about its nuclear work ended with an agreement to meet again.
But Western officials said it had yet to take concrete steps to ease their fears about its atomic ambitions.
The United States, China, France, Russia, Britain and Germany offered modest relief from economic sanctions in return for Iran scaling back its most sensitive nuclear activity.
But they made it clear that they expected no immediate breakthrough.
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