IAEA: Iran accepts tough N-checks ( 2003-11-09 10:13) (Agencies)
Iran Saturday promised to give the International Atomic Energy Agency letters
agreeing to tougher nuclear inspections and to suspend its uranium enrichment
program, an IAEA official said.
Mark Gwozdecky, a spokesman for the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, told CNN
that "it is very much in their interest to work with us. They claim that their
program is peaceful. We're the best way for them to demonstrate that to the
international community, through cooperating with us."
The tougher inspections would allow the IAEA to conduct environmental testing
of the air and soil and to conduct tests in undeclared areas with short notice.
Inspectors would be able to fully account for all the nuclear material in the
country and satisfy any questions regarding the use of uranium for a weapons
program and not civilian use
Iran has been accused by the United States of working on
nuclear weapons. Iran has denied all such accusations and said that its nuclear
program is only for peaceful purposes.
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