The Final Call

Nuke Agency rejects 'baseless' report of Iran weapons program

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Director General Mohamed El Baradei warned that continuing allegations that the IAEA was withholding information on Iran are politically motivated and totally baseless.

Officials with the agency promptly issued a statement rejecting the report and reiterating "that it has no concrete proof that there is or has been a nuclear weapon program in Iran".

The word's top atomic watchdog was responding to a September 17 Associated Press claim that the news agency had access to a "secret report" on Iran's nuclear activities. The AP report which was quickly picked up by several proponents of tougher sanctions and possible military action against Iran's continued development of it's nuclear energy program.

At the Board of Governors' September 9, 2009 meeting, Director General Mohamed El Baradei warned that continuing allegations that the IAEA was withholding information on Iran are politically motivated and totally baseless.

Western countries, spearheaded by the US and Israel, accuse Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapons program under the guise of its nuclear energy program while Iran denies the charges saying that the nuclear activities are peaceful and aimed at producing fuel for its nuclear power plants to meet the country's growing demand for electricity.

Israel, believed to be in possession of a large arsenal of nuclear weapons, has repeatedly threatened to launch military strikes against Iran if it does not halt it's nuclear energy program.

Related links:

Iran thanks IAEA for 'resisting pressure' (PRESS TV, 09-05-2009)

World community backs Iran's nuclear program (FCN, 09-14-2008)

Pro-Israel lobby dictates U.S. policy, study charges (FCN, 04-05-2006)