2003/09/03
Iran launches probe into shootout case
Tehran, Sept 3 - Iran's Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) have launched a serious investigation into the case of the shooting at the British embassy in Tehran, foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said Wedneday.
Reports said unknown gunmen fired five rounds of bullets to the British embassy in Tehran in midday at about 11 local time.
"The situation is under control", Asefi stressed. The officials have launched a probe into the irresponsible incident, he continued.
Reports said that Iran have tightened security after the shootout on the embassy.
http://www.iribnews.com/Full_en.asp?news_id=187295&n=32El Baradei urges Iran to accelerate cooperation
BERLIN: The head of the UN nuclear agency urged Iran Tuesday to speed up cooperation, expressing hope that it will “very soon” sign a protocol allowing unfettered inspection of its nuclear facilities.
“I would like to see more acceleration of cooperation on the part of Iran, more transparency on the part of Iran,” Mohammed El Baradei, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said after talks with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer. “The earlier we finish the job in Iran the better, both for Iran and the international community.”
The United States accuses Iran of developing a clandestine nuclear weapons program.
Iran, which insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, has said it would agree to unfettered inspections under an additional protocol of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty if it is granted access to advanced nuclear technology, as provided for under the treaty.
“I hope they’ll sign it very soon,” El Baradei said of the protocol. “They told me last week that they have taken a decision to conclude the protocol.”
Iran said last week it is ready to begin talks on signing an additional NPT protocol to provide stronger inspection powers to the IAEA.
“I would also hope that Iran, until they sign and ratify the protocol, act as if the protocol is in force, because the more transparency we see from Iran, the more confidence we can create that their programme is dedicated to peaceful purposes,” he added.
The IAEA has said traces of weapons-grade uranium have been found at a nuclear facility at Natanz in central Iran, but Iran said the equipment was contaminated before it was purchased. On Monday, Iran said that, before signing the NPT protocol, it wanted the IAEA to admit Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy.
El Baradei said the IAEA “would like to assist Iran with nuclear electricity.”
“I support, of course, the peaceful use of nuclear agency but I would like also at the same time to strengthen nonproliferation,” he added. —AP
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_3-9-2003_pg4_8