IAEA head calls on Tehran to join additional protocol

Mohamed El-Baradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has called on Tehran to permit the Agency inspectors checking those Iranian nuclear facilities that raise the greatest concerns of the international community. He said as much while presenting his report on Iran's nuclear security to the IAEA Board of Governors Monday.

El-Baradei stressed that since his visit to Iran in February, the Agency had undertaken extensive verification activities in Iran and his report provided the results of those activities to date.

The report points out that Iran has failed to report certain nuclear material and activities, and that corrective actions are being taken in co-operation with the Iranian authorities.

El-Baradei added that "the report also explains that work is still ongoing with regard to the correctness and completeness of Iran's declaration to ensure that all nuclear material in Iran has been declared and is under safeguards." He called on Iran to "conclude and bring into force an additional protocol at an early date, in order to enhance the Agency's ability to provide credible assurances regarding the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities." "This is clearly in the interest of both the Agency and Iran," El-Baradei concluded.