Washington, 12 September 2003 (RFE/RL) -- The United States said today that failure by Iran to comply with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) demands to fully account for its activities would constitute further evidence of Tehran's efforts to conceal its clandestine nuclear weapons program. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters today that the U.S. government welcomes the decision taken in Vienna today by the IAEA governors that sets a 31 October deadline for Iran to prove it is not secretly making nuclear weapons.
"We will continue to work closely with other members of the International Atomic Energy Agency board to insure that at its meeting the board is prepared to draw definitive conclusions and -- unless Iran immediately reverses its course -- to report Iran's noncompliance to the UN Security Council."
Inspectors with the UN agency said they had recently found traces of weapons grade, highly-enriched uranium at an Iranian nuclear facility. Iran says its nuclear program is only for generating electricity.
Reports say that Iranian delegation walked out in protest before the IAEA adopted the document.
Following the vote, Iran said it would conduct a "deep review" of its cooperation with the watchdog agency following the resolution.
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov today said in Ljubljana that Russia is committed by the IAEA to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons but still wants to continue its nuclear cooperation program with Iran.
Russia is building Iran's first nuclear plant in Bushehr, a project which encountered criticism form Western nations who fear Tehran may use the plant in a nuclear-weapons program.
"We will continue to work closely with other members of the International Atomic Energy Agency board to insure that at its meeting the board is prepared to draw definitive conclusions and -- unless Iran immediately reverses its course -- to report Iran's noncompliance to the UN Security Council."
Inspectors with the UN agency said they had recently found traces of weapons grade, highly-enriched uranium at an Iranian nuclear facility. Iran says its nuclear program is only for generating electricity.
Reports say that Iranian delegation walked out in protest before the IAEA adopted the document.
Following the vote, Iran said it would conduct a "deep review" of its cooperation with the watchdog agency following the resolution.
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov today said in Ljubljana that Russia is committed by the IAEA to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons but still wants to continue its nuclear cooperation program with Iran.
Russia is building Iran's first nuclear plant in Bushehr, a project which encountered criticism form Western nations who fear Tehran may use the plant in a nuclear-weapons program.