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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Iran nuclear row: UN inspectors barred from Iran site | Iran nuclear row: UN inspectors barred from Iran site |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The UN nuclear watchdog says Iran has stopped a team of inspectors from visiting a key military site. | The UN nuclear watchdog says Iran has stopped a team of inspectors from visiting a key military site. |
| The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says no deal has been reached on inspecting the Parchin site, south of Tehran, despite "intensive efforts". | The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says no deal has been reached on inspecting the Parchin site, south of Tehran, despite "intensive efforts". |
| The inspectors had sought to clarify the "possible military dimensions" of Iran's nuclear programme. | The inspectors had sought to clarify the "possible military dimensions" of Iran's nuclear programme. |
| Iran insists it is purely for peaceful purposes, but the West suspects the programme has military implications. | |
| The IAEA said that after two days of talks, its team was returning from Iran without a deal on a document "facilitating the clarification of unresolved issues" in connection with Tehran's nuclear programme. | |
| The first round of discussions in January also failed to produce a result. | |
| "It is disappointing that Iran did not accept our request to visit Parchin," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in a statement. | "It is disappointing that Iran did not accept our request to visit Parchin," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in a statement. |
| It is suspected that Parchin was the site where explosives related to nuclear weapons may have been tested in recent years. | It is suspected that Parchin was the site where explosives related to nuclear weapons may have been tested in recent years. |
| Israeli strike speculation | Israeli strike speculation |
| Meanwhile, Iran's envoy to the Vienna-based IAEA said Tehran expected to hold further talks with the agency. | |
| Ali Asghar Soltanieh was quoted by Iran's Isna news agency as saying the latest discussions had been intensive and that talks would continue in the future. | |
| The BBC's Bethany Bell in Vienna says the refusal to grant access to Parchin does not come as a major surprise, as there has been little progress in the negotiations between the two sides. | |
| The inspectors' evaluation of their visits may form part of the next report on Iran's nuclear programme, expected later in February. | The inspectors' evaluation of their visits may form part of the next report on Iran's nuclear programme, expected later in February. |
| But last November, the IAEA said it had information suggesting Iran had carried out tests "relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device". | But last November, the IAEA said it had information suggesting Iran had carried out tests "relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device". |
| This led to decisions by the US and the European Union to tighten sanctions against Tehran, including measures targeting the country's oil industry. | This led to decisions by the US and the European Union to tighten sanctions against Tehran, including measures targeting the country's oil industry. |
| Tensions have risen further over speculation that Israel may carry out a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. | Tensions have risen further over speculation that Israel may carry out a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. |