Saturday, April 29, 2006

IAEA Finds no Proof of Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program

"Here is its conclusion, which others will not quote for you at such length:
' 33. All the nuclear material declared by Iran to the Agency is accounted for. Apart from the small quantities previously reported to the Board, the Agency has found no other undeclared nuclear material in Iran. However, gaps remain in the Agency’s knowledge with respect to the scope and
content of Iran’s centrifuge programme. Because of this, and other gaps in the Agency’s knowledge, including the role of the military in Iran’s nuclear programme, the Agency is unable to make progress in its efforts to provide assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran.

34. After more than three years of Agency efforts to seek clarity about all aspects of Iran’s nuclear
programme, the existing gaps in knowledge continue to be a matter of concern. '
This ambiguity is being twisted by the Bush administration to make it seem as though Iran has done something illegal. The report can be read to say that there is no evidence that Iran is doing anything illegal.

In fact, under the NPT, countries do have the right to do the sort of experiments Iran is doing. Most of the complaints are not about substance but about something else.

Iran's president pledged to continue to cooperate with UN isnspectors. "
Juan Cole
I don't think it says that at all, I think that said that the IAEA had not in three years of inspections of suspect actions and after finding small amounts of suspect materials, not had enough cooperation from Iran to clear up the original suspicions. The statement from Iran that they are going to continue the very same cooperation that does not allow the IAEA to reach a definite conclusion is meaningless.

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