International   

Iran removes seals on nuclear facility

Atul Aneja

IAEA may refer the matter to U.N. Security Council for likely sanctions

MANAMA: Iran has begun to remove the remaining seals placed by United Nations at its nuclear conversion facility in Isfahan, enabling it to operate the plant more freely.

``The removal of seals has begun with the presence of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors,'' Iranian official Mohammad Saeedi said. The seals were removed after the IAEA completed the task of positioning surveillance cameras inside the facility. This step was necessary to ensure that Iran does not divert uranium from the plant for building weapons.

Iran has signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which allows it to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes under IAEA surveillance. The U.S. and three key European Union countries are demanding that Teheran should give up uranium enrichment work. Iran had halted uranium enrichment last November to allow a nuclear dialogue with Britain, France and Germany to proceed. It was at that time the U.N. seals had been placed in the Isfahan plant. Iran has a larger enrichment facility at Natanz but work has not been restarted as yet.

The IAEA spokesperson, Melissa Fleming, confirmed that Iran had begun to take-off the seals. "Once the removal is completed we will confirm this to the (IAEA) board.''

The IAEA's 35-nation board has put-off a second day of formal talks about Iran's decision until Thursday, to enable diplomats to meet behind closed doors.

The IAEA is discussing whether Iran's case should be referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions. The Reuters news agency quoted a E.U. diplomat as saying the U.S., Russia and China and the other Western countries on the IAEA board had agreed to a toughly-worded draft resolution on Iran. Developing countries like India, Brazil and others who are part of the "non-aligned group'' opposed it.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Iran removes seals on nuclear facility
We are not dragging our feet: Musharraf
Russia asks Iran to halt uranium work
4 American soldiers killed in Baiji
Asians slam U.K. Minister move to "rebrand'' them
War criminal arrested
Iraq: Constitution talks resume
Explosions rock Detroit
Genetic code will lead to increase in crop output

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu