IAEA Official to Urge Iran to Explain Intelligence on Nuclear Program

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s safeguards chief today traveled to Iran to urge officials to address indications that its nuclear research is aimed at producing a weapon, Reuters reported (see GSN, April 18).

Olli Heinonen in February reported to the U.N. nuclear watchdog’s 35-nation governing board on alleged connections between Iran’s uranium enrichment program, its research into precision explosives detonation, and work on reshaping a missile cone to potentially accommodate a nuclear warhead (see GSN, Feb. 26; Hasham Kalantari, Reuters I, April 21). 

Heinonen has said the intelligence was obtained from the United States, an IAEA probe into Iran’s nuclear intentions and Iranian acquisition documents, Agence France-Presse reported (Agence France-Presse/Google News, April 21). 

Iran, which insists its nuclear program is aimed strictly at power production, has dismissed the evidence as fake or of no importance, Reuters reported.

Heinonen is expected to meet this afternoon with Javad Vaidi, deputy head of Iran’s supreme national security council, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

The sides hope to “advance cooperation” in the IAEA investigation, said one Iranian official.  The officials could return to the alleged weaponization efforts, but Iran has already presented an “evaluation” of the claims to the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the official said.

“Since there are differences between Iran and the agency (over the Western intelligence) the meeting ... will deal with finding a solution to this problem,” Iranian state media quoted an Iranian Atomic Energy Organization official as saying (Reuters I).

The conservative Iranian newspaper Kayhan blasted Heinonen’s motivations for pursuing the talks, AFP reported.

“This trip is to complete a joint Israeli-U.S. trick to provide [phony] proof of Iran’s nuclear activities,” said an editorial signed by Hossein Shariatmadari, the publication’s chief editor.

“It is like a ridiculous play,” the newspaper said.  “He (Heinonen) opened the first act at the (IAEA) Board of Governors, in a play written by Israel and directed by the United States. … And now during his trip here he will perform the second act.  What is surprising is why our officials agreed to his trip” (AFP).

Tehran yesterday also rebuffed statements made last week by U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown regarding their suspicions about Iran’s nuclear activities, Reuters reported.

“The stance voiced by the American president and British prime minister about Iran’s nuclear activities is not compatible with the reality of any of (its) activities,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue with its peaceful activities,” he told reporters, noting that “no law prevents our country from continuing these peaceful activities.”

Hosseini declined to give details on Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki’s recent announcement that the nation would propose solutions for resolving the international standoff over its nuclear activities.

“Regarding the package, we will provide you with the comments and explanations at the appropriate time,” Hosseini said (Reuters II, April 20).

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