Iran taking steps in right direction: IAEA

Iran has agreed to a request by IAEA to provide access to materials related to its uranium enrichment activities.

Iran has taken steps in the right direction but still International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) does not know its intent as to whether or not its uranium enrichment programme is geared towards nuclear weapons project, agency's chief has said.

HT Image

But Tehran has not yet suspended its "enrichment related activities," IAEA Director-General Mohamed Elbaradei informed the Board of Directors.

Iran has agreed to a request by IAEA to provide access to materials related to its uranium enrichment activities, but cooperation is still too limited for any determination regarding its nuclear ambitions, Elbaradei said.

"I have received in recent days communications from Iran, in which it agreed to an Agency request to take further environmental samples from the equipment already sampled at a technical university.

It also agreed to provide access to the operating records of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant," said.

Calling these "steps in the right direction," he stressed that the sooner Iran takes the remaining transparency measures and addresses the outstanding issues, the earlier the Agency would be "in a position to provide the needed assurances - assurances that are key to restoring international confidence regarding the scope and nature of its nuclear programme."