Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

    VIENNA, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran has agreed to clarify its suspected nuclear research projects in May, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced here Wednesday.

    The IAEA chief inspector, Ollie Heinonen, met Iranian officials Monday and Tuesday and "an agreement was reached" during their talks "on a process that aims to clarify the so-called alleged studies during the month of May," IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said.

    The IAEA hopes Tehran could clarify its suspected study projects on uranium conversion, powerful explosion tests, missile technology, including the technical details of upgrading the missile Shahab-3 and the underground explosion tests at a depth of 400 meters.

Iran rejects U.S., Britain's nuclear arms allegations

    TEHRAN, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Sunday rejected U.S. and British leaders' latest allegations that the Islamic Republic may be trying to develop nuclear weapons.

    Iran has no secret or confidential nuclear activity and the entire program is under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini told his weekly press briefing.   Full story

U.S., Britain call for tightening sanctions on Iran

    WASHINGTON, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Visiting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, at a joint press conference with U.S. President George W. Bush after their talks in the White House on Thursday, called for strengthening sanctions on Iran.

    "Iran continues to defy the will of the international community. And we are agreed on the need to strengthen the sanctions regime and ensure that these sanctions are effectively implemented," Brown said. Full story

IAEA head calls for more dialogue on Iran nuke issue

    BERLIN, April 17 (Xinhua) -- UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohammed ElBaradei on Thursday called here for more dialogue between the international community and Iran on the country's nuclear issue.

    ElBaradei, general secretary of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), made the call after a meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin on Thursday. Full story