The United Nation’s nuclear regulator has stated that it still considers Iran to be holding back some details concerning its nuclear activity.

The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) said, in a new report, that Iran’s alleged development of nuclear weapons is still of grave concern.

Uranium Enrichment

The same report stated that 3,500 centrifuges are being operated at Natanz. These centrifuges are used during the uranium enrichment process that some believe is intended to be used in a nuclear capacity, but, Iran maintains, is actually meant for the domestic energy industry.

Nuclear Activity

In April, the agency confirmed that an agreement had been attained with Iran, through which answers to the one principal question over Tehran’s historical nuclear activity would be supplied.

In this new report, however, the IAEA called on Iran to give much more detailed information and explanation than it has provided to date.

Speaking to news agency AFP, the Iranian envoy to the agency asserted that “no question” remained unanswered, adding that uranium enrichment would continue.

"Iran has not provided the agency with all the information, access to documents and access to individuals necessary to support Iran's statements [concerning the peaceful destination intended for the enriched uranium]", the report wrote.

"The agency is of the view that Iran may have additional information, in particular on high explosives testing and missile-related activities which... Iran should share with the agency.”

A “senior US official”, who has not been identified, advised news agency Reuters: "We have not got substantive answers and we could have gotten those earlier.

“It’s [now] up to Iran.”

According to head US delegate to the agency, Gregory Schulte, the report highlighted a "long list of questions that Iran has failed to answer".

"At the same time that Iran is stonewalling its inspectors, it's moving forward in developing its enrichment capability in violation of Security Council resolutions," Schulte advised news agency AP.

Iranian envoy Ali Asghar Soltenieh, meanwhile, advised AFP that Tehran had supplied “200 pages of explanations.”

The report, he added, served as “a vindication and reiteration of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities".

"We will continue enrichment, while not suspending our cooperation with the IAEA”, he said.

6,000 Centrifuges

Iran has advised the IAEA of its intention to have 6,000 centrifuges up and running within the next few months. Speaking yesterday, sources close to the agency affirmed that this was likely.

Several rounds of sanctions have been imposed on Iran in recent times.

Source – Armed Forces International’s Middle East Correspondent

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