IAEA Chief Calls On Iran To Cooperate

19 September 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The head of the United Nations nuclear agency, Muhammad el-Baradei, said today Iran must "really do everything" to shed light on its nuclear program after years of secrecy.
El-Baradei was speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, with Tehran's nuclear program under scrutiny.

Representatives of the United States and the European Union's Britain, France, and Germany have been discussing a possible referral of Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear program.

Officials of the Western countries have expressed disappointment following the 17 September speech to the UN General Assembly by Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, who said Iran has an inalienable right to produce nuclear fuel. He also ruled out Iran making any nuclear weapons.

Western countries, led by the United States, say they fear Iran may be secretly trying to develop nuclear arms. But Russia, which has a veto on the Security Council, has indicated it does not believe the time is right for sanctions.

(Reuters)

For RFE/RL's complete coverage of the controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear program, see "Iran's Nuclear Program."