A joint US-Russian conference on avoiding nuclear catastrophe has been held in Luxembourg – after a report saying Iran is actually increasing its nuclear activity. Director General of The International Atomic Energy Agency Mohammed el-Baradei addressed the meeting on nuclear proliferation.

Yesterday, The IAEA report said Iran has made significant advances in uranium enrichment, defying world demands. The report comes on the back of a 60 day United Nations deadline for Iran to freeze its enrichment programme. The report also said Iran was blocking IAEA inquiries. Reaction to the findings in Tehran has been defiant, with Iranians saying the report will not affect the country’s nuclear programme.

The United States has moved nine warships in the Persian Gulf, in a move that much view as a manoeuvre to display American impatience with Iran. However, US sources say the deployment is linked to the continuing problems in Iraq.

The US has said it will now press for a new set of sanctions to be imposed on Iran but they will have to persuade the UN Security Council to do so.

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