IAEA chief Amano to visit Iran November 11 to bring its cooperation forward

Yukiya Amano, Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on Tuesday described the talks with Iran in Vienna, Austria, last week as "productive," and announced that he will visit Tehran on November 11 to take the country's cooperation "forward." Addressing the General Assembly in its annual discussion of nuclear issues around the world, Amano said "last week, a productive meeting addressing past and present issues related to Iran's nuclear programme took place in Vienna. Iran presented a new proposal on practical measures as a constructive contribution to strengthening cooperation and dialogue with a view to the future resolution of all outstanding issues. "Following the substantive discussions, it was decided that a further meeting will be held on 11 November in Tehran in order to take this cooperation forward," he added. He noted that the agency continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement, but "we are unable to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities," and therefore, the agency "cannot conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities." Iran is under western and international sanctions because it refused to halt its uranium enrichment activities that the west fears are meant to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Iran continues to reject. On Syria's supposed nuclear programme and the possibility that the building destroyed at the Deir Az-Zour site was a nuclear reactor which should have been declared to the agency, Amano said he "has not received any new information that would affect that assessment. "I again urge Syria to cooperate fully with the Agency in connection with unresolved issues related to the Dair Alzour site and other locations," he urged. On North Korea's nuclear programme,,Amano said he remains "seriously concerned" about its nuclear programme, adding that its statements concerning a third nuclear test and its intention to restart its nuclear facilities at Yongbyon, together with its previous statements about uranium enrichment activities and the construction of a light water reactor, are "deeply regrettable. "Such actions are clear violations of relevant Security Council resolutions, " he insisted, adding that the agency has not been able to implement any verification measures in the country since April 2009. "I call upon the DPRK to fully comply with its obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions and with the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and to cooperate promptly and fully with the Agency," he urged.