Brussels, 26/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - A last-minute request from Iran to exclude its agreement with the EU on Iran's nuclear programme caused a delay at the governing council of the International Atomic Energy Agency's meeting in Vienna on 25 November, which will not now be unveiling the outcome of its decision on Iran until Friday (at the earliest).
IAEA Director Mohammed El Baradei said that Iran's suspension of uranium enrichment programmes, that started on 22 November, had not yet been completed due to a request by Teheran for an exemption to be made, which was received at the beginning of the meeting. He said the IAEA had finished its monitoring work, apart from the parts of the programme covered by the exemption request (20 R+D centrifuges which do not use nuclear materials). Teheran's request may compromise the agreement reached in Paris on 7 November with Germany, France and the UK, whereby Iran pledged to fully suspend its nuclear enrichment programme and therefore not be brought before the UN Security Council and face international sanctions, also avoiding new clashes with the United States. Teheran's latest request will only strengthen doubt in the west about the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme, with Washington saying it is proof of Iran's bad faith. The centrifuges in question can be used to enrich uranium which can then be used to power nuclear reactors and build atomic bombs (if highly enriched).
Two draft resolutions on Iran are on the table at the IAEA, one supported by the EU, which refuses to budge (supported by the United States in this), demanding complete suspension of all uranium enrichment programmes but not threatening to use UN sanctions; and one supported by non-aligned countries. El Baradei has said that he will be continuing to negotiate with the Iranian delegation and hopes an agreement will be reached in the near future.