Iran nuclear inspectors ban sparks controversy

13/09/10 23:14 CET

world news

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The head of the UN’s atomic watchdog has accused Iran of hampering its work in the country by barring two nuclear inspectors.

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Director General Yukya Amano said Iran’s claim that the inspectors were biased and leaking information was untrue.

But Iran’s Ambassador says they were not reporting in a “balanced manner.” Ali Asghar Soltanieh said the inspectors must do a “professional, impartial, technical job. If they make any reporting which is inaccurate and creating difficulties, we question their professional capabilities.”

Iran maintains its uranium enrichment activity is for generating electricity only but Western powers suspect the country of using it to develop atomic bombs.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accompanied inspections in the past but Tehran also cancelled access for a high-ranking official in 2006.

A new IAEA head of inspections in the Middle East has now been appointed to continue the work.

More about: IAEA, Iran, Nuclear Energy

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