UN presses Iran on nuclear site

The UN’s nuclear watchdog says it needs “more clarification” about the purpose of a recently declared Iranian nuclear site near the city of Qom.

The International Atomic Energy Agency also said in a new report the delayed declaration of the plant raised concern about other possible secret sites.

A UN team was allowed access to inspect the Qom site last month.

Some Western nations fear Tehran is trying to build nuclear weapons but Iran says its programme is peaceful.

Chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh told Iranian media that Tehran had “provided all the information about the new facility” and called the IAEA report “repetitive”.

Earlier, Russia said a nuclear power station it had been building at Bushehr in southern Iran would not be completed by the end of this year as planned.

‘Inconsistent’

The IAEA report said it expected the Qom site to start enriching uranium in 2011.

It said: “Iran’s explanation about the purpose of the facility and the chronology of its design and construction requires further clarification.”

Iran only revealed the existence of the Fordo enrichment facility, which is being built about 30km (20 miles) north of Qom, in September.

The IAEA report said this did “not contribute to the building of confidence” and “gives rise to questions about whether there were any other nuclear facilities not declared to the agency”.

Iran’s delay in notification was “inconsistent with its obligations”, the report said.

The BBC’s Iran correspondent Jon Leyne says the report raises key questions about the timing of the site’s construction.

He says Iran’s declaration that it began the project in 2007 does not square with the IAEA’s evidence that there was work there as far back as 2002.

The report said satellite imagery showed there was work in Qom between 2002 and 2004, and that this had resumed in 2006 and “continued to date”.

Mr Soltaniyeh said he was “comfortable” with the report, as it confirmed Iran was “fully cooperating” and that the activities at Qom were “in accordance with the IAEA instructions and limitations”.

He told al-Alam TV: “Iran has provided all information about the new facility and the material inside it.

“We will later proceed with installing the required equipment. The facility will go online in 2011.

“Inspectors scoured the facility for two complete days. Everything was compatible with the non-proliferation treaty.”

‘Creative plan’

Iran has been offered a scheme whereby it would send some of its low-enriched uranium to Russia, where it would be further processed to fuel an Iranian research reactor.

However, Iran has failed to give a clear response

US President Barack Obama has said it is unfortunate that Iran seems unable to say yes to a “creative” international plan to allay suspicions that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons.

On Sunday, Russia and the US both warned Iran that time was running out for talks over its nuclear programme.

Russia said on Monday the delay in launching the Bushehr plant was for “technical reasons”.

Russian officials had said earlier this year that the plant would be completed before the end of 2010, but on Monday Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said that although progress had been made, there would be no launch.

The BBC’s Richard Galpin in Moscow says the decision to delay the completion is clearly political – an expression of Russia’s frustration at Iran’s failure to accept the offer now on the table from the international community.

Under the plan brokered by the IAEA and agreed by Russia, the US and France, Iran would send about 1,200kg (2,600lb), or 70%, of its low-enriched uranium, to Russia by the year’s end for processing.

Subsequently, France would convert the uranium into fuel rods for use in a reactor in Tehran that produces medical isotopes.

This is seen as a way for Iran to get the fuel it needs, while giving guarantees to the West that it will not be used for nuclear weapons.

Iran has raised “technical and economic considerations” with the IAEA and has missed deadlines to respond.