Iran to Allow More UN Inspections of Nuclear Sites

Iran today agreed to allow stepped-
up inspections by United Nations atomic experts, as U.S. and
European delegates began negotiations to avoid the escalation of
a dispute over the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions.
``Iran isn't going for confrontation,'' the country's
ambassador to the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency,
Mohamad Mahdi Akhondzeh, told reporters as the IAEA board of
governors met in Vienna to discuss Iran's nuclear program. ``Iran
is ready to fulfill the UN's requests for more inspections.''
Iran claims the right to enrich uranium, which can be used
to generate energy or make an atomic bomb. The U.S. and its
European allies want Iran to give up uranium enrichment, citing
the country's 20-year history of hidden nuclear activities.
The U.S. has threatened to refer Iran to the UN Security
Council, where it may face economic sanctions, unless the country
abandons uranium enrichment. `There is no consensus'' among the
35 IAEA governors on whether to refer the issue to the council.
Akhondzeh said.
The IAEA said it needs access to more people and sites
involved in Iran's nuclear program before the agency can assure
the world the country is using nuclear power only for peaceful
purposes. Iran resumed the conversion of raw uranium to uranium
hexafluoride gas at its Isfahan facility on Aug. 9. A uranium
enrichment facility at Natanz was sealed at the IAEA's request.

`Diplomatic Brinksmanship'

``We're going through a period of confrontation and
diplomatic brinksmanship,'' IAEA Director General Mohamed
ElBaradei told reporters in Vienna as talks began. ``All parties
have expressed their preference to return to negotiations.''
The IAEA is seeking more access to Iran's Parchin military
facility, ElBaradei told the board of governors. The agency also
needs documents explaining how Iran was able to access the
technology and equipment needed to enrich uranium. IAEA
inspectors were in Iran last week.
``I would like to see a united international community,''
ElBaradei said after being asked whether referring the dispute
over Iran to the UN Security Council would risk splitting the
IAEA's board. The board usually passes resolutions by consensus,
rather than submit to votes, in an effort to show unity.

`Confidence'

Iran, with the second-largest oil reserves in the world,
expects its energy needs to double in the next 20 years to about
60,000 megawatts annually. The country's legislature last year
approved plans for nuclear power to generate 20,000 megawatts of
energy for the country's 68 million people by 2025.
Akhondzeh said Iran wants to create international joint
ventures with companies to bring investment to the country's
nuclear program and facilitate openness.
``We're extending our hand to the private and public sectors
to develop a peaceful nuclear program,'' Akhondzeh said.
``Whatever activity we do would be fully open to inspections.''
The U.S. wants to block Iran, which it brands a state sponsor
of terrorism, from developing nuclear weapons. Germany, France
and the U.K., representing the European Union, had been in U.S.-
backed talks with Iran to limit its nuclear program in exchange
for economic incentives. Those talks broke down after Iran
resumed uranium conversion.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for a ``far-
reaching'' compromise to the deadlock in a UN address in New York
Sept. 17. The country is willing to continue talks with the EU-3,
he said.

Investment Deals

Iran has signed energy and investment deals in the last year
with some of the IAEA board-member countries, including China,
India, Russia and Venezuela.
The Islamic Republic is set to supply China with 10 million
tons of liquefied natural gas annually beginning in 2008, Iran's
Oil Ministry said July 6. It's also planning a $7.4 billion
natural-gas pipeline to India.
Iran is paying Russia as much as $1 billion to build a
nuclear reactor in Bushehr. The reactor will be capable of
generating about 1,000 megawatts of electricity. Iran is
``aggressively enforcing'' quality control over the project to
meet international safety standards, the IAEA said in April.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is seeking Iran's help in
developing a nuclear energy program for the South American
nation. Chavez said in March that Iran can count on his support
in its confrontation with the U.S. over its nuclear program.
The IAEA's board is comprised of Algeria, Argentina,
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Ecuador, France,
Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea,
Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal,
Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Tunisia, U.K., U.S., Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen.
Referral of the Iranian nuclear issue to the Security
Council would require a majority vote by the IAEA board.
A three-year dispute between the U.S. and North Korea ended
today with the communist nation's agreement to give up its
nuclear arsenal and rejoin a global treaty to halt the spread of
such weapons. In return, the U.S. is providing North Korea with
security guarantees.
``We pledge to work with North Korea to go back and do
inspections to ensure that all nuclear weapons programs have been
abandoned,'' ElBaradei said. ``What we see coming from Korea
gives me a lot of confidence that complex issues can be solved.