Statements from IAEA Director General regarding IRAN (Sept 17,2007)

[LSK]

Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Regarding the implementation of Agency safeguards in the Islamic Republic of Iran, I would make four brief points.

First, the Agency has been able to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran. Iran has continued to provide the access and reporting needed to enable Agency verification in this regard.

Second, Iran has provided the Agency with additional information and access needed to resolve a number of long outstanding issues, such as the scope and nature of past plutonium experiments.

Third, contrary to the decisions of the Security Council, calling on Iran to take certain confidence building measures, Iran has not suspended its enrichment related activities, and is continuing with its construction of the heavy water reactor at Arak. This is regrettable.

Fourth, while the Agency so far has been unable to verify certain important aspects relevant to the scope and nature of Iran´s nuclear programme, Iran and the Agency agreed last month on a work plan for resolving all outstanding verification issues. These verification issues are at the core of the lack of confidence about the nature of Iran´s programme, and are what prompted actions by the Security Council. Iran´s agreement on such a work plan, with a defined timeline, is therefore an important step in the right direction. Naturally, Iran´s active cooperation and transparency is the key to full and timely implementation of the work plan. If the Agency were able to provide credible assurance about the peaceful nature of Iran´s past and current nuclear programme, this would go a long way towards building confidence about Iran´s nuclear programme, and could create the conditions for a comprehensive and durable solution.

http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Statements/2007/ebsp2007n014a.html#iran

IRAN IS COOPERATING WITH THE IAEA!!!

SPREAD THIS EVERYWHERE YOU CAN!!!!!

[berni_mccoy]

1. Sadly, Iraq did too, but it was too late. I fear that it won't matter and the media will ignore it.

When we go to war with Iran, every uninformed citizen will believe it's for a good reason.

[LSK]

2. therefore it is our job to spread the truth

Also they are discussing this on AAR right now. Keep in mind AAR did not exist in 2003.

[alfredo]

3. K&R

[LSK]

4. kick

[EFerrari]

5. I'm glad you posted this. Scott Ritter said as much last time

I heard him on BookTv but I had no source.

Thanks.

[LSK]

6. can we get #5? its only WW3 at stake...

[LSK]

7. .

[Zodiak]

8. LOL....no problem

We have known they were co-operating (except continuing with purification) for some time, but it is nice to have an IAEA report stating such. They are not 100% in compliance with requests, but it is clear they are acting in good faith.

Better faith than their accusers, anyway.

By the way, I find it deeply disturbing that France is in on this all of the sudden. Seems like the entire western world is getting sucked into this madness little by little.

Oh well, I hope the French learn that electing "conservatives" in these days is not healthy for one's youth nor their pocketbook. Never has been, actually.

[LSK]

9. further reading

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,503841,00.html

[Zodiak]

11. Scary stuff

The one thing that we, as Americans, are often not aware of is how politics in these countries are handled culturally.

I have a co-worker who is from Iran...hates Bush and Ahmedenijad equally. He told me some interesting tales that gave me a window into their political culture. The whole thing is built upon lies and deception, he says, plans within plans within plans....with lots of deflection and intrigue. Under those circumstances, it plays very much in Iran's favor to maintain secrecy, even if they are doing nothing out of the ordindary beyond enriching for energy purposes. It's all about the intrique....if you build the myth that you want the weapon, then people will treat you like you are building it and you invested very little in making your enemies fear you.

Kinda like Star Wars. We never really had that program going in the 80's, but the Russians sure thought we did, and that was the power of the program. I can't believe I am citing Reagan as an example (goes and does penance).

[LSK]

12. interesting point, I think Saddam was playing that game too

[ClayZ]

10. K and R

[Macchendra]

13. I bumpeth thee, and raise thee a...

ElBaradei Warns Against War on Iran
The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei is warning no military action should be taken against Iran, and that threats of war are premature and counterproductive. On Sunday France warned that it was preparing for a possible war against Iran and the Telegraph of London reported that the Pentagon has developed a list of up to 2,000 bombing targets in Iran. ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said there is no evidence of ongoing prohibited nuclear or nuclear-related activities in Iran.

* Mohamed ElBaradei: "I repeat: we have not seen any undeclared facilities operating in Iran, we have not seen any concrete evidence that the Iran program is being weaponized. We have not received any information to that effect. So, I haven't heard any other information, to the contrary. So while we are still concerned about the nature of the Iranian program, we should not... I do not believe, at this stage, that we are facing clear and present danger that requires that we go beyond diplomacy."

ElBaradei also urged the world to remember what happened in Iraq before considering any similar action against Tehran.

ElBaradei Accuses Democrats of Distorting Iran Nuclear Data
Meanwhile Congressional Democrats are being accused of drafting a misleading and erroneous report on Iran's nuclear program. ElBaradei said the Congressional report – released by Democratic Congressman Rush Holt of New Jersey -- contained serious distortions of the IAEA's own findings on Iran's nuclear activity. The report claimed Iran had enriched uranium to weapons-grade level when the IAEA had only found small quantities of enrichment at far lower levels.

-DemocracyNow

[slipslidingaway]

14. Kucinich statement 10 days ago on the agreement

Where are the statements from the other candidates, why are they not discussing this topic when they have national attention :( Thanks to Clark and Kucinich but they are only two people.

Why are they silent on this and the draft Iraq Oil Law?

:argh: :argh: :argh: :argh:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1752111

"A new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicating that Iran is cooperating with the nuclear watchdog agency and has agreed to provide additional information about its nuclear enrichment activities “should give serious pause to those who are beating the drums for possible military action against that country,” Ohio Congressman and Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich said today.


“If Iran is cooperating, it’s time for the President and others to stop ratcheting up the rhetoric regarding weapons, sanctions, and ‘all options are on the table’ so that we don’t get tricked into another war,” Kucinich said. “One war built on lies and deceptions – Iraq – is already one war too many.”

In its report, the IAEA noted that Iran was being unusually cooperative and had reached an agreement with the agency to answer questions about an array of suspicious past nuclear activities that have led some to suspect it harbors a secret effort to make nuclear arms.

The agency added that while Tehran's uranium enrichment effort is growing, the output is far less than experts had expected, according to published reports today.

"This is the first time Iran is ready to discuss all the outstanding issues which triggered the crisis in confidence," Mohamed ElBaradei, the IAEA director general, said in an interview with the International Herald Tribune. "It's a significant step."

In the interview, ElBaradei suggested that he would welcome a delay in the American-led strategy to impose new sanctions, saying, "I'm clear at this stage you need to give Iran a chance to prove its stated goodwill. Sanctions alone, I know for sure, are not going to lead to a durable solution."

The agreement between the IAEA and Iran laid out a timetable aimed at resolving the nuclear issues, under investigation for four years, by December. By then, ElBaradei said in the interview, the agency will know whether Iran is seriously committed to cooperating.

He also acknowledged that his report is putting him at odds with White House officials and others who are accusing the United Nations’ agency of operating outside its mandate by striking a deal with Tehran. "My responsibility is to look at the big picture. If I see a situation deteriorating and it could lead to a war,” ElBaradei said, “I have to raise the alarm or give my advice."

“The IAEA should be commended for the progress it has been making in working out reasonable terms with Iranian officials and applauded for recognizing that saber rattling and oppressive sanctions constitute seriously dangerous policies in a region already in conflict,” Kucinich said. “Caution and diplomacy need to replace recklessness and unilateralism.”

[annabanana]

15. God DAMN the twisted media for not covering this!

Complicit complicit complicit!!

[LSK]

16. but John Kerry tasers kittens !!!!

:sarcasm:

[slipslidingaway]

17. True, but why don't our elected reps and current candidates

who do have media time bring attention to this issue? We have to hold them responsible as well for not challenging the administration.

[Megahurtz]

18. They Would Rather Get

the NumbPublic hyped-up on Sensationalism.

[slipslidingaway]

19. Maybe we should bomb Iran to make sure they do not develop

nuclear weapons in the future :( :(

Head of IAEA Safeguards Welcomes Iran Workplan
Measures Agreed Go Beyond Requirements of Additional Protocol, Says Heinonen
Staff Report
30 August 2007

http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2007/workplan_heinonen.html

"Mr. Olli Heinonen, IAEA Deputy Director General of Safeguards, has underlined the importance of the workplan recently agreed between Iran and the IAEA on the Modalities of Resolution of the Outstanding Issues, saying that it represents a significant step forward in the process of verifying the country´s nuclear programme. "What we have in front of us is a report that includes what we think is an important step because, for the first time in a couple of years, we have been able to agree with the Iranians a working arrangement on how to resolve the outstanding issues that triggered all the Security Council procedures sometime ago," he commented. "In this working arrangement we have the actual modalities of the work, the procedural steps to be taken as well as some fine lines defined and how we are going to address these. When you read the plan you see this is not an open-ended timeline: there are certain linkages in this approach, but it´s important that it is not open-ended," he said...


On the issue of the agreed workplan (INFCIRC/711) from 21 August 2007, General Understandings, Para 2, Mr. Heinonen´s comments were: "When you read the agreement you can see that we are making questions. If the answers are not satisfactory, we are making new questions until we are satisfied with the answers and we can conclude technically that the matter is resolved - it is for us to judge when we think we have enough information. Once the matter is resolved, then the file is closed."

"The plutonium experiments issue is an example of this process. The marching plan regarding this issue was agreed at the beginning of July. We have gone through this process and you can see what the result was: they provided additional information. We made questions and we received answers. We had access to the people, information and documentation which we had never seen before. As a result, we were able to do what is stated in Paragraphs 9 and 10. This was the litmus test for the process."


U.S. and ElBaradei at odds over Iran's nuclear program

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/31/africa/nukes.php

"ElBaradei emphasized that he "did not in any way give a blessing" to Iran's decision to proceed with uranium enrichment, a program that Security Council resolutions demand be frozen. But he has taken what he has called a realistic view that the world will have to accept that Iran will never halt the program and that the goal now must be to prevent it from expanding it to industrial-level production.

"It's difficult technology but it's not rocket science," he said. "Through a process of trial and error, you will have the knowledge."

Some in the Bush administration have charged that ElBaradei, whose agency is part of the United Nations, is operating outside of his mandate by striking the new agreement with Tehran. But he defended his move, saying: "My responsibility is to look at the big picture. If I see a situation deteriorating" and "and it could lead to a war, I have to raise the alarm or give my advice."

The evolving divide places ElBaradei in conflict with President George W. Bush, and not for the first time. The White House bristled in 2003 when ElBaradei reported there was no evidence to support claims that Iraq was reconstituting its nuclear program. Later, the administration tried to oust ElBaradei from his job. But now the administration needs the Egyptian diplomat, because his agency's findings have formed the core of its case against Iran."