No agreement reached with Iran over nuclear issue: IAEA chief

California Telegraph (IANS) Wednesday 22nd February, 2012

Yukiya Amano, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Wednesday said no agreement was reached with Iran over its nuclear issue during the recent visit of the agency's team to Tehran.

Amano made the remarks as an IAEA experts team returns from Iran after the two-day second round of talks with Iranian officials. The meeting followed previous talks held in late January, reported Xinhua.

"Intensive efforts were made to reach agreement on a document facilitating the clarification of unresolved issues in connection with Iran's nuclear programme, particularly those relating to possible military dimensions," Amano said in a statement Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, agreement was not reached on this document," he added.

"During both the first and second meetings, the agency team requested access to the military site at Parchin, but Iran did not grant the permission," according to the statement.

Amano called Iran's refusal to permit the visit to Parchin as "disappointing."

The agency believes Parchin is where Iran's suspicious nuclear activities are carried out.

Based on an IAEA report released last November, the board of the UN nuclear watchdog adopted a resolution on Iran's nuclear programme, calling for intensified dialogue between the agency and Iran to find solutions to unresolved issues.

The IAEA report, which alleges that Iran has engaged in nuclear bomb-related activities, was rejected by Tehran. The country called the report "imbalanced, non-professional and politically-motivated".