Israeli officials and high-level Western diplomats have accused the International Atomic Energy Agency of concealing evidence that Iran was seeking nuclear-weapon information and taking other steps to develop nuclear arms, Haaretz reported today (see GSN, Aug. 18).
(Aug. 19) -
Israeli and Western officials have claimed that International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei, shown last year, is withholding evidence of Iranian nuclear-weapon work (Samuel Kubani/Getty Images).
Israel, the United States and several European powers have expressed concern that Iran's nuclear program could support nuclear weapons development, but Tehran has insisted its atomic activities are strictly aimed at generating electricity.
IAEA inspectors submitted the evidence to the Vienna-based organization in a secret addendum that was not included in safeguards reports on the country's nuclear activities, the officials contended. Top officials from France, Germany the United Kingdom and the United States have pressed agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei to release the information when the IAEA General Conference convenes next month, according to the Israeli newspaper.
"We expect the details to appear in the new report and to be made public," said one Western diplomat.
Some Israeli diplomats expressed concern, though, that ElBaradei would continue to withhold the reported information ahead of his retirement scheduled for later this year.
Israel Atomic Energy Commission head Shaul Horev and the Israeli Foreign Ministry have led efforts to win the release of the report. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu neither confirmed nor denied the report's existence.
ElBaradei has said there is no concrete proof of the existence of an Iranian military nuclear program, though he said in June his "gut feeling" is that Tehran aspires to have nuclear-weapon capability (see GSN June 17). The IAEA chief has rejected assertions from Jerusalem that he has been too easy on Tehran, and has called on Iran to increase the transparency of its nuclear activities.
After 12 years, ElBaradei is scheduled to leave his post in November. Israeli officials hope the next head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano, will clamp down on Iran, Haaretz reported (Barak Ravid, Haaretz, Aug. 19).
Meanwhile, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today said he would rethink a plan to sell an advanced air defense system to Iran, Israeli President Shimon Peres said after meeting with the Russian leader.
"President Medvedev gave a promise he will reconsider the sales of S-300s because it affects the delicate balance which exists in the Middle East," Peres said, the Associated Press reported.
Israel has expressed concern that Iran could use the S-300 system to defends its nuclear facilities from an Israeli air attack (Mansur Mirovalev, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Aug. 19).
"The fact that Iran is investing billions of dollars in the development of long-range missiles, in parallel to its nuclear project, is clear indication of its intent" to build nuclear weapons, Peres added in a statement. "Iran constantly threatens not only Israel, but also the entire world."
Medvedev reaffirmed Russia's opposition to a nuclear-armed Iran during his meeting with Peres, according to the release (United Press International, Aug. 19).