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IAEA knows too little on Iran N-program

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano says the agency knows “too little” about Iran’s nuclear program, calling for more cooperation from Tehran.

“We still know too little about Tehran’s nuclear activities…and we still don’t have answers to all of our questions,” IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in an interview with German news magazine Der Spiegel.

That is why “we make it clear that Tehran has to cooperate with us more effectively,” he urged.

Amano’s comments come despite constant monitoring of Iran’s nuclear facilities via IAEA inspectors and nonstop surveillance of its nuclear activities by the agency’s security cameras installed at the plants.

Amano criticized Tehran for refusing to halt its uranium enrichment activity in the face of unilateral US and European Union sanctions in addition to those imposed by the UN Security Council under Washington’s influence.

He, however, admitted that he was not ready to confirm Western allegations to state that Iran was moving closer to a nuclear weapon, but complained of what he called a “credibility gap” when it came to Iran’s reporting its nuclear work to the IAEA.

Iran has invited a number of international ambassadors to the Vienna-based IAEA to visit its nuclear sites.

Iranian officials have hailed the move as a goodwill gesture aimed at building confidence regarding Tehran’s “transparent” nuclear program.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly refuted Western accusations that it is following a military nuclear program.

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