International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei (L) speaks at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 26, 2009. The meeting focusing on Iranian nuclear issue was held on Thursday. (Xinhua/Liu Gang) Photo Gallery>>>
VIENNA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The chief of the UN nuclear watchdog, Mohamed ElBaradei, admitted on Thursday that consultations with Iran on its nuclear issue reached a deadlock.
ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), voiced "regret" that Iran had not responded to the agency's proposal of shipping its low-enriched uranium (LEU) abroad for further purification.
He said Iran's agreement to this proposal would help the international community to rebuild confidence in Tehran over the nuclear issue. It is regrettable that this opportunity was not seized by Iran, he said at the IAEA Board of Governors' meeting in Vienna.
ElBaradei added that this deadlock would be unable to break unless Iran engages fully with the UN agency.
With regard to the issue of the newly discovered nuclear plant in Qom, ElBaradei said the facility was "under construction" with about 3,000 centrifuges to produce enriched uranium.
"Iran failed to notify the agency of the existence of this facility," which violated the terms of the relevant nuclear safeguards, ElBaradei said.
The building of the uranium enrichment plant in Qom damaged Iran's credibility, he said.
TEHRAN, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran is not opposed to sending low-enriched uranium abroad, but demands 100 percent guarantees for a nuclear fuel deal, a spokesman of Iran's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
"The Iranian government is not opposed to shipping its low-enriched uranium abroad, but the process needs further review by Iran," spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a press conference in Tehran. Full story
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Friday reiterated its call for Iran to give a formal response to an UN-backed draft deal over its nuclear program.
"Iran has not responded positively to the IAEA proposed agreement for the provision of nuclear fuel for its Tehran research reactor," State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood told a news briefing. Full story
TEHRAN, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Iran will not send out its enriched uranium but considers simultaneous fuel swap on its soil, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday. Full story
TEHRAN, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday the report released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chief Mohamed ElBaradei shows the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. Full story
TEHRAN, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Iranian president's senior advisor Parviz Davoudi said Monday that Iran favors to receive West's high grade uranium first and then send its domestically enriched low grade uranium abroad, the official IRNA news agency reported. Full story
