UN wants answers from Iran over nuclear plants

The UN’s nuclear watchdog says it is concerned Iran could be concealing the existence of more atomic facilities.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says the belated revelation of a uranium enrichment site near the holy city of Qom has undermined confidence in the absence of other nuclear plants that may be under construction. The IAEA says the secrecy surrounding the Fordow plant – which inspectors examined only last month – gives rise to questions about whether there are any other undeclared nuclear facilities in Iran, other than those at Bushehr and Natanz. Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad insists Iran’s nuclear programme is non negotiable claiming it is for peaceful energy purposes. Tehran told the UN that it began building the Fordow plant in 2007 but the IEAE has evidence the project began in 2002. The IEAE says Iran’s failure to inform the agency of its decision to build or authorise construction of a sensitive nuclear facility as soon as the decision was made was “inconsistent” with its transparency obligations

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