BEIJING, Jan. 10 -- The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, says he is running out of patience with Iran over a dispute about the nature of its nuclear research activities. ElBaradei made the comment in a recent interview with Sky News in Britain.

    "I cannot continue to say every, at every board meeting, that I still need more time. We have been doing that for three years and I have been telling the Iranians recently that. That I am, I am running out of patience, the international community is running out of patience. The credibility of the verification process is at stake."

    Meanwhile, Iran has announced that inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog agency are in the country and preparing to remove seals from nuclear research facilities no later than Monday, allowing Tehran to move forward with its nuclear fuel research.

    Tehran has not specified the type of research it will resume.

    During his interview, ElBaradei said that he thought the Iranians wanted to start the "mechanical testing of some centrifuges that does not involve nuclear materials."

    The announcement has further increased concerns in the West that Iran is moving toward production of nuclear weapons.

    Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy is calling on Iran to retract without delay its decision to restart nuclear activities.

    He says that France, Britain and Germany will be meeting shortly to discuss the Iranian nuclear issue. Enditem

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)