IAEA chief urges Iran to show more transparency on nuclear issue

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chief Mohamed ElBaradei reiterated Thursday that the inspection of Iran's nuclear program needed support from Iran and hoped it could enhance transparency of its nuclear plans.

More transparency was "indispensable" for his agency to clear up issues still open, ElBaradei said at the opening ceremony of a two-day IAEA Board of Governors meeting, at which Iran's nuclear program came under scrutiny.

During the comprehensive IAEA surveillance of Iran's nuclear program, strengthening dialogue among all parties concerned was the best way to resolve disputes, he said.

He confirmed that Iran was continuing to conduct uranium conversion activities at its Isfahan plant but the IAEA was monitoring them.

ElBaradei also confirmed that Teheran had recently given the IAEA documents on its nuclear program and the IAEA was currently evaluating this information.

Diplomatic sources said the United States and the European Union were not pressuring at the meeting to refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council, deciding to give more time for a Russian compromise proposal which would see Iran undertake uranium enrichment activities on the Russian soil.

Both the IAEA and Teheran pledged to work towards restoring talks between Iran and the EU trio of France, Britain and Germany over the issue.

The talks between the two sides, which were halted in August at the demand of the European side, could resume in December.

Source: Xinhua