Israel slams lack of progress on Iran at IAEA annual conference

Head of Israel's Atomic Energy Commission rejects Iran's "diplomatic vocabulary" at the conference.

By REUTERS
The flag of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) flies in front of its headquarters in Vienna (photo credit: REUTERS)
The flag of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) flies in front of its headquarters in Vienna
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The head of Israel's Atomic Energy Commission, Dr Shaul Chorev, told the IAEA delegates in Vienna on Wednesday he did not believe Iran's new diplomatic language.
He spoke at the annual meeting of the 162-nation International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA, just as his Intelligence Minister back home, Yuval Steinitz, accused Iran of using its Parchin military base as the site for secret tests of technology that could be used only for detonating a nuclear weapon.
"Facade of more welcoming diplomatic vocabulary by its new envoys and the portrayal of the spirit of cooperation were negated by Iran's uncompromising positions and its lack of cooperation with the IAEA. Mr President almost a year has elapsed since Iran committed to cooperate with the agency to resolve all outstanding present and past issues including its military dimension. However the director general's recent report clearly indicates that no substantive progress has been made. Iran's traditional tactics of stonewalling, delays, disruption and concealment are surfacing once again. The gap between Iran's statements and its practices is very wide," said Chorev.
An IAEA report issued in early September showed Iran had failed to answer questions by an Aug. 25 deadline about what the UN agency calls the possible military dimensions of the country's nuclear program.
The United States and the European Union, in statements to the IAEA conference, have also called on Iran to cooperate with the UN agency's long-stalled investigation into allegations that Tehran has worked on designing a nuclear weapon.
The Islamic Republic says allegations that it is seeking a nuclear weapons capability are false and baseless. Tehran says it is Israel's assumed atomic arsenal that is a destabilising threat to the Middle East.
Chorev rejected this statement too.
"One has to wonder what are the motivations behind these divisive agenda item "israel's nuclear capability" proposed time and again by the Arab states. Is it because the sponsors want the world to focus on something else than turmoil and terror in the Middle East? Is it because among regional parties there are those who pursued or continue to pursue nuclear weapons under the cover of the NPT membership, or is it because an anti Israeli campaign makes it possible to all members of the Arab league to appear united?" Chorev said.