ElBaradei puts stamp of approval on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program

In a much-expected report on Iran’s nuclear program released to the IAEA Board of Governors, Mohamed ElBaradei cleared Iran of ill-willed charges by certain countries that Iran is pursuing a secret nuclear weapons program and again vindicated Iran by reaffirming Iran’s nuclear transparency.

“The Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran. Iran has provided the Agency with access to declared nuclear material and has provided the required nuclear material accountancy reports in connection with declared nuclear material and activities. Iran has also responded to questions and provided clarifications and amplifications on the issues raised in the context of the work plan,” with the exception of certain alleged studies, the International Atomic Energy Agency director general said in his report, which was obtained by the Mehr News Agency.

The 11-page report suggested all other major issues that had raised past suspicions about Iran’s claims to working only on a peaceful nuclear program had either been fully resolved or were “no longer outstanding at this stage.”

“The Agency has been able to conclude that answers provided by Iran, in accordance with the work plan, are consistent with its findings… Therefore, the Agency considers those questions no longer outstanding at this stage. However, the Agency continues, in accordance with its procedures and practices, to seek corroboration of its findings and to verify these issues as part of its verification of the completeness of Iran’s declarations.”

The UN atomic watchdog has made “quite good progress” in its investigation into Iran’s nuclear drive, ElBaradei said.

“Our task in Iran is to make sure that the Iranian nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes. We are at it for the last five years. In the last four months, in particular, we have made quite good progress in clarifying the outstanding issues that had to do with Iran’s past nuclear activities,” ElBaradei said after the publication of his latest report on Iran.

Tehran has allowed a number of visits that have provided a “clearer picture” of its program, he said.

“Iran in the last few months has provided us with visits to many places that enable us to have a clearer picture of Iran’s current program.”