IAEA accuses Iran of failing to comply with nuclear safeguards

VIENNA, June 7 -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Friday accused Iran of failing to honor commitments to safeguard its nuclear material."Iran has failed to meet its obligations under its safeguards agreement with respect to the reporting of nuclear material, the subsequent processing and use of that material and the declaration of facilities where that material was stored and processed," the IAEA said in a report.

The eight-page report was now circulating among the IAEA member countries and will be presented by IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei to the meeting of the IAEA governing board on June 16. Washington has been accusing Tehran of developing uranium deposits and having facilities for producing nuclear fuel in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which Iran is a signatory.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi reaffirmed Tuesday that Iran's nuclear activities are "peaceful and meant to offset domestic energy shortage."Russia is helping Iran build a nuclear power plant in Bushehr despite US complaints. Iran has agreed to sign a protocol on the return of used nuclear fuel to Russia from the Russian-built nuclear plant.

US expresses concern over Iran's nuclear program

WASHINGTON, June 6 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States expressed its concern on Friday about Iran's nuclear program, saying the program and a related report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was deeply "troubling.""We think the report, and Iran's programs themselves, are deeply troubling and need to be studied carefully by all (IAEA) members," US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said at a press briefing.

The report was now circulating among member countries of the IAEA, whose meeting is slated in Vienna, Austria, on June 16. Boucher said the report would provide insights into Iran's nuclear program.The United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons and violating the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. Boucher called on Iran to disclose all aspects of its nuclear program.The US accusation has been turned down by Tehran, which has repeatedly announced that its nuclear program is peaceful.