国际英语新闻：IAEA to discuss tougher report on Iran's nuclear issue

 BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- An upcoming meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to focus on a latest report on the Iranian nuclear issue, which struck a tougher tone than before.

    The report, prepared by IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, was submitted last week to the United Nations Security Council and the IAEA Board of Governors, which will start a five-day meeting in Vienna Monday.

    According to media reports in Vienna, the draft report expressed "serious concern" over Iran's nuclear program, saying Tehran was hiding information about alleged studies into making nuclear warheads as well as defying UN demands to suspend uranium enrichment activities.

International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei makes a speech during a celebration ceremony at Vienna's UN headquarters April 25, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters  Photo)

    

    TOUGHER TONE

    In the report, which was released last Monday, ElBaradei said Iran still has to provide explanations to support its claim that allegations about nuclear weapons-related projects are false.

    The report also noted that Teheran is continuing to develop its uranium enrichment capability, ignoring the UN Security Council's demands for suspension of its nuclear program.

    Iran's alleged studies regarding uranium conversion, high explosives testing and design of a missile re-entry vehicle remained a "matter of serious concern," said the report.

    It was "essential" that Iran provide the UN nuclear watchdog with more information without delay, the report added.

    Diplomats in Vienna said the tone of the IAEA report was unusually tough and reflected deep frustration at Iran's lack of cooperation.

    Iran's possession of nuclear warhead diagrams was "alarming," IAEA Deputy Director General Olli Heinonen told board members three days after the report's release.
"NO DEVIATION": IRANIAN SPOKESMAN

    Despite the tough wording, Iran said Sunday that the latest report proved there is "no deviation" in Iran's nuclear program from civilian purpose.

    Mohammad-Ali Hosseini, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said the report indicated that all Iranian sites have been under the IAEA's full supervision.

    "The report also said that all the agency's findings are in full conformity with Iran's nuclear activities" at the enrichment facilities in Natanz, central Iran, he said.

    "The IAEA report has also reiterated that all activities at Arak installations are under direct supervision of the agency," Hosseini said. "All Iran's fuel consignments received for Bushehr nuclear power plant have been supervised by the agency."

    But he noted that Iran had expected more from the IAEA, saying it could have submitted a "better report" had it not been for the "continuing pressures of one or two known countries."

    He added that Iran may have to set "new limits" on its cooperation with the agency due to the report's dissatisfaction with Tehran.

    Moreover, Iran's former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani accused the IAEA of setting a "new trap" for Tehran.

    The report renewed "baseless claims from the past" and "is a new trap for Iran because we have already clarified all outstanding issues with the IAEA," Rafsanjani told a prayer ceremony.

    In line with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, "Iran's rights are very clear. Our only fault is that we gained the necessary nuclear technology for peaceful use by ourselves," he said.

    "The United States and its Western friends should not take revenge in this way just because a country is not dependent on their technical know-how," Rafsanjani added.

    FRANCE CALLS FOR OPENING OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES

    In Singapore, French Defense Minister Herve Morin said Iran should open its nuclear installations to international scrutiny to clear suspicions about its ambitions.

    "We support calls that Iran demonstrates through total opening of its installations that Iran is not conducting nuclear program with military purposes and goals," he told reporters on the sidelines of a security conference.

    All the "information we have collected proves that they have not dropped the idea of getting on with their (military) program," Morin added, citing Iran's display of the Shihab-3 missile, which he said is a ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads, during its national day parades.

    "You don't develop a ballistic missile to carry conventional warhead. It doesn't make operational sense," he said.