Free Republic

While Pakistani scientists are believed to have played a major role in advancing Iran's nuclear program, more than a half-dozen other countries are now being drawn into the U.N. investigation, diplomats and arms experts say. They say a monthslong probe by the International Atomic Energy Agency has traced the origins of Iran's program to the late 1980s, when Iran was supplied with the first drawings on centrifuge technology, its main way of enriching uranium. The investigations have widened "well beyond" Pakistan, Russia and China to include companies in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and other West European countries, said one diplomat. There...

On Nov. 10, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a report charging Iran with violating its obligations under the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. In particular, the IAEA said that Tehran had been conducting experiments with imported nuclear material without informing the agency. The report also revealed that Iran had carried out a variety of clandestine nuclear activities for more than two decades. In doing so, it had deceived the agency on numerous occasions by concealing facilities and providing the IAEA with incomplete and false information. A discussion of the IAEA’s revelations follows. Uranium Enrichment Gas-Centrifuge Enrichment Iran’s gas-centrifuge uranium-enrichment program...

Iran has announced that it plans to retaliate against those countries which voted against Iran at International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governers meeting. These nations include Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and United States of America. IAEA's new resolution passed on Wednesday criticizes Iran for what it calls are 'violations' but at the same time praises its new willingness to cooperate. However, IAEA attached harshly worded warnings for any 'further violations.' Similar warnings were given to Iraq just before American led attack on Iraq. "This resolution is a success for Iran and proving the sincerity of...

September 18, 2003 Ample AFX News VIENNA -- The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chose a new governing board Thursday, and the regular rotation of countries represented meant that Iran, a country accused of breaching the body's rules, is no longer a member, a spokesman for the watchdog agency said. Spain is to take over from Kuwait as chairman of the 35-nation board, which makes key decisions such as deciding last week to impose an October 31 deadline on Iran to prove it is not secretly developing atomic weapons. Spain is to be chosen as chair when the new...

US Official: Noose Tightens on Iran Nuclear Program September 12, 2003 Reuters Reuters.com WASHINGTON -- The "noose" is tightening on Iran to prove it has no secret nuclear weapons program or lose its legal right to obtain nuclear-related technology from Russia and other countries, a U.S. official said on Friday. The official spoke with Reuters after the governing board of the United Nations nuclear watchdog passed a resolution setting Iran an Oct. 31 deadline to make its case. After that deadline, the U.N. agency board is expected in November to draw "definitive conclusions" about Iran's program and whether the Islamic...

Iran's Last Chance September 10, 2003 The Wall Street Journal Review and Outlook Iran's chief delegate to the International Atomic Energy Association cautioned Monday that putting too much pressure on Iran could backfire, saying if board members asked too much of Tehran there could be "unexpected, surprising consequences." There's a word for this: chutzpah. A recent confidential report on Iran to the IAEA's board noted the traces of highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium that were found at the Natanz Iranian nuclear facility. It also noted that Iran was conducting tests that make no sense unless the country was pursuing nuclear weapons....

Iranians Arrested for Planning Sabotage campaign in Iraq August 23, 2003 BBC News BBCi US President George Bush has predicted that more foreign troops will join American forces in Iraq to help win "the continuing battle in the war on terrorism". Mr Bush said "al-Qaeda-type fighters" were moving into Iraq, but insisted the US would "stay the course". He said he was working with the United Nations to seek broader international support - but he gave no sign he was prepared to relinquish more power to the UN. Iraqi police said that earlier this week they arrested a group of...

The U.N. human-rights charade Editorial Aug 14, 2003 It is not exactly breaking news that the United Nations does as much harm as good on the world stage. The world body's history of coddling tyrants at the expense of democracies long ago eroded most of its claim to the moral high ground. This summer, we have new evidence to remind the world of the folly of assuming a moral equivalence of all governments. Under pressure from Cuba and Libya, the U.N. Economic and Social Council suspended all cooperation between its Commission on Human Rights and Reporters Without Borders. The problem...