UN's nuclear watchdog arrives in Iran
UN's nuclear watchdog arrives in Iran
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Thursday, 13, Apr 2006 08:35
The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog arrived in Iran last night ahead of talks aimed at persuading Tehran to suspend its nuclear programme.
Mohamed el-Baradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), touched down in Tehran just two days after Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared that his country had successfully enriched uranium and was determined to produce it on a larger scale.
Tehran insists that its intentions are entirely peaceful and that its nuclear programme is necessary to boost electricity supplies, but the United States and Europe fear that Iran is planning to develop nuclear weapons.
The UN's security council has now demanded the Islamic state stop the sensitive work and has imposed an April deadline for it to comply or face possible sanctions.
Arriving in Iran last night, Mr el-Baradei said he hoped to convince Iran to take "confidence-building measures", including the suspension of its uranium enrichment activities.
"The time is right for a political solution and the way is negotiations," he said.
During his one-day visit, Mr El-Baradei is expected to meet Iranian diplomats and be briefed by IAEA inspectors before reporting back to the UN about the current state of Tehran's nuclear activities.
Speaking ahead of his visit, UN secretary general Kofi Annan said he hoped Mr el-Baradei would persuade Iran to resume negotiations over its nuclear plans.
"They have pursued their research but I hope they will be able to come back to the table and work with the international community to find a negotiated solution," he said, appealing for all parties in the global dispute to "cool down the rhetoric".
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice insisted yesterday that the UN take "strong steps" to maintain "the credibility of the international community" in reacting to the stand-off with Iran.