UN atomic watchdog seeks to clarify Iran 'ambiguities'

The UN atomic watchdog said Wednesday that information provided by Iran regarding its nuclear programme contained "ambiguities" and that it was seeking clarification from Tehran.

"The IAEA submitted on 8 September questions to Iran on ambiguities regarding the information Iran provided to the IAEA on 15 August 2015," the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

It gave no further details, saying in a statement that "technical-expert meetings, technical measures and discussions will be organised in Tehran prior to 15 October 2015 to remove the ambiguities identified by the IAEA."

Under a landmark deal agreed by Iran and six major powers on July 14, Tehran will dramatically downsize its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from painful international sanctions.

The accord is aimed at ending a 13-year standoff by making it extremely difficult for Iran to develop nuclear weapons, an aim strenuously denied by Tehran.

But separately, the IAEA also wants to probe allegations that at least until 2003, Iran's nuclear programme had "possible military dimensions" -- in other words that it conducted research into making a nuclear weapon.

To this end, Iran and the agency agreed a "road map" -- also on July 14 -- with the aim of the IAEA being to complete all meetings and visits in its investigation by October 15 and to issue a final report by December 15.

Iran provided the IAEA with a dossier of information on August 15 that included "explanations in writing, and related documents", according to the agency.

Neither Tehran nor the IAEA have given any more details on the information provided, other than agency chief Yukiya Amano saying it was a "substantive volume" of material.

An IAEA spokesman told AFP on Wednesday that the agency has conducted a "rigorous and thorough review of the information" provided by Iran.

Iran has said that the allegations that it sought to build a bomb -- including that it conducted relevant explosives tests at the Parchin military base -- are groundless and based on faulty intelligence provided by its enemies to a gullible and partial IAEA.

Source: AFP