The International Atomic Energy Agency challenged Iran on Thursday to allow unfettered inspections of its nuclear facilities to disprove suspicions that they could be used to develop nuclear weapons. But Iran resisted, leaving the UN nuclear watchdog agency in a diplomatic quandary. The agency ended a three-day debate on Thursday with a statement rebuking Tehran’s clandestine import, storage and processing of uranium in defiance of its obligations under the NPT. The agency also expressed concern about Iran’s revelations that it was building a heavy-water facility, which can be used to produce weapons-grade plutonium. The statement urged Iran to not put nuclear material into a pilot uranium enrichment project at Natanz ‘‘as a confidence-building measure.’’ White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said President Bush welcomed the statement, adding that the world would be watching Iran’s next move. Iran’s representative to IAEA, Ali A. Salehi, said in Vienna that he was pleased that the board did not bow to US pressure, and he rejected the call for more stringent inspections. In Tehran, President Mohammad Khatami said that Iran was prepared to allow wider inspections by the nuclear agency — but only if the international community recognised Iran’s right to acquire advanced peaceful nuclear technology. Next month, inspectors are expected to return to Iran in the first test of Tehran’s willingness to comply with the agency’s demands. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Iran was prepared to accept tight international oversight of its nuclear program. Putin said Iranian President Mohammad Khatami had assured him in a telephone call two days ago that his country does not strive for nuclear weapons and it was prepared to sign any protocols required by the IAEA. (LAT-WP)
