UN report stokes fears of Iran atom bomb

Iran's repeated failure to inform the UN nuclear agency of its atomic activities, as detailed in the agency's new Iran report, boosts fears that Tehran wants nuclear weapons, Western diplomats said yesterday.

Several diplomats, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the Iran report showed Tehran was in breach of its UN nuclear safeguards obligations. They said there were reasons for the agency's governing board to declare Iran in "non-compliance" with its UN Safeguards Agreement.

A verdict of non-compliance would require the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) board to notify the UN Security Council, which has the power to impose economic sanctions.

"There are grounds for a verdict of non-compliance," said a Western diplomat. "It's a pattern of activities that's not just disquieting but of great concern."

Asked if the report confirmed suspicions Iran aims to build a nuclear arsenal, one Western diplomat said simply: "Yes."

Iranian officials were not immediately available for comment, though Tehran insists it is cooperating fully with the IAEA and has nothing to hide about its nuclear programme.

Iran said on Tuesday it was ready to sign up to snap inspections of its nuclear programme, but said it wanted prior clarification on "the preservation of its sovereignty".

The United States, which branded Iran part of an "axis of evil" with North Korea and pre-war Iraq, accuses the Islamic republic of secretly developing atomic weapons, a charge Tehran denies.

The report said traces of weapons-grade highly-enriched uranium were found in samples at the Natanz nuclear facility. Iran blamed this on contaminated components imported for centrifuges, an explanation the IAEA is probing.

One diplomat said this explanation was suspicious as Iran refuses to say where it bought the components and had originally claimed the centrifuges were entirely domestic. Cenfrifuges are used to enrich, or purify, the uranium to make it useable in nuclear fuel - or weapons.

The IAEA also said Iran had carried out "modifications" at the Kalaye Electric Company workshop, where centrifuge parts are made, before letting the IAEA take samples to verify no undeclared nuclear activity had taken place.

Diplomats said these extensive modifications raised concerns Iran sanitised Kalaye before letting inspectors take the samples after months of refusing the IAEA's request.