Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis   

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei gives a speech in Vienna, August 31, 2006. (Xinhua photo/AFP) Photo Gallery >>>

     VIENNA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the IAEA, has referred a report on Iran's implementation of a UN resolution demanding its suspension of uranium enrichment to IAEA's Board of Governors and the UN Security Council, IAEA sources said on Thursday.

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) statement did not reveal details of the report, but diplomats in Vienna said Iran had disregarded the Council's 1696 resolution to stop enriching uranium before the Aug. 31 deadline.

    The report said Iran had resumed enriching small amounts of uranium in recent days, and the agency's inspection had been blocked by lack of Iranian cooperation.

    The diplomats said ElBaradei's report swept away the obstructions blocking sanctions against Iran, but some analysts believed that the six powers -- the United States, Russia,

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China, Britain, France and Germany -- which had offered Iran an incentive package in exchange for commitment from Tehran to freeze enrichment, had not yet reached a consensus on the issue.

    Meanwhile, the report said that based on the investigation, Iran's nuclear activities had "been limited by possible malfunctions in pilot cascades of centrifuges," and no obvious evidence indicated that "Iran's nuclear program point to military intention."

    When replying the incentive package on Aug. 22, Iran said it would negotiate on its nuclear issue. But analysts believed that Iran's response aimed to "buy time" for postponing the sanctions.

    The UN Security Council ratified the 1696 resolution on the nuclear issue in July which urged Iran to suspend all activities related to uranium enrichment until Aug. 31, otherwise it would face sanctions. Enditem

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