UN agency calls on Iran to halt work on recently-disclosed facility

The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today called on Iran to immediately suspend the construction of a recently-disclosed uranium enrichment facility, and cooperate more fully to resolve all outstanding issues related to its nuclear programme.

In a resolution adopted today in Vienna by the Agency's Board of Governors, the IAEA also urged Iran to clarify the purpose of the enrichment plant at Qom. UN inspectors visited the plant late last month after Iran disclosed its existence in September.

In addition, the IAEA “calls on Iran to confirm, as requested by the Agency, that Iran has not taken a decision to construct, or authorize construction of, any other nuclear facility which has as yet not been declared to the Agency.”

The resolution comes a day after the Agency's outgoing Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei, told the 35-member policymaking body that the IAEA had reached a “dead end” with Iran, noting that there had been no movement in over a year in resolving outstanding issues related to its nuclear programme.

While Iran has stated that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, some countries contend it is driven by military ambitions.

The Agency today urged Iran to engage with it on the resolution of all outstanding issues concerning the country's nuclear programme and to cooperate fully in terms of providing access and information requested by the IAEA.