U.S. says Iran failing to cooperate with UN nuclear watchdog

Iran Focus: London, May 19 – A senior U.S. State Department official accused Iran on Thursday of failing to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, over its suspected atomic weapons program. Iran Focus

London, May 19 – A senior U.S. State Department official accused Iran on Thursday of failing to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, over its suspected atomic weapons program.

Tehran was “absolutely determined” to acquire weapons of mass destruction, Stephen G. Rademaker, the Acting Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation, said at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

Iran “rejected repeated requests for transparency and cooperation”, Rademaker said.

The United States expected the UN Security Council to fulfil its responsibility under the UN Charter to address the threat to international peace and security posed by Iran’s “illegal nuclear weapons program”, he said, adding that it would be a defeat for effective multilateralism should the council fail to “live up to this responsibility”.

“Even today, Iran is failing to cooperate fully with the IAEA in its investigation of Iran’s nuclear program”, he said.