The United Nations nuclear watchdog will shortly release a report on Iran's latest uranium enrichment activities just days after world powers offered Iran new talks on its disputed nuclear program.
By
AFP

Source:
AFP
7 Jun 2006 - 12:00 AM  UPDATED 22 Aug 2013 - 12:18 PM

The International Atomic Energy Agency says that the report will contain the latest observations from inspectors who have just visited the Iranian enrichment facility in Natanz.

The report comes ahead of a meeting next week of the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors.

The United States claims that Tehran is using an allegedly peaceful energy program to hide the development of nuclear weapons.

However the report, which would be three-pages long, would "not be an assessment" of the Iranian program, a Western diplomat said.

The United States claims that Tehran is using an allegedly peaceful energy program to hide the development of nuclear weapons.

IAEA spokeswoman, Melissa Fleming, said the report would cover requests by the IAEA board for the agency's inspectors to monitor Iranian activity.

The IAEA has called on Tehran, most recently in February, to suspend all uranium enrichment activities.

The last IAEA report on April 28 had made clear that Iran was not suspending enrichment work.

Iran cautious

Meanwhile Iran has given a cautious reception the international proposal aimed at resolving the crisis saying the offer contains "positive steps" but also "ambiguities".

The package, presented by European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, offers a variety of incentives and fresh multilateral talks if Tehran agrees to suspend uranium enrichment work, which can make both reactor fuel and weapons.

"There are positive steps in the proposal, and there are also some ambiguities that should be cleared up," Iran's top national security official, Ali Larijani, said on state television.

"We consider that the European will to solve the issue through talks is a correct step, and we welcome this," he said after receiving the proposal and holding two hours of talks with Mr Solana.

"We had good discussions," Mr Solana said, adding that "there is a strong consensus between the six countries" behind the package -- drawn up by Britain, France and Germany and backed by the United States, Russia and China.

"Now that the proposal is on the table, I hope we will receive a positive response which will be satisfactory to both sides," he said after also meeting Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki before flying out of Tehran.

US President George W Bush has welcomed Iran's "positive" initial reaction to the proposal.

"We will see if the Iranians take our offer seriously. The choice is theirs to make," Mr Bush said.

"I have said the United States will come and sit down at the table with them, so long as they are willing to suspend their enrichment in a verifiable way," he said. "So it sounds like a positive response to me."

Western officials expect Iran to reply to the proposal within a matter of weeks.