Iran seeking compensation from IAEA

AP: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called on the U.N. nuclear agency to compensate Iran for suspending its nuclear activities since 2003, state television reported Tuesday. Associated Press

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI

Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called on the U.N. nuclear agency to compensate Iran for suspending its nuclear activities since 2003, state television reported Tuesday.

Ahmadinejad made the call shortly before the International Atomic Energy Agency began a second day of talks in Vienna that will include Iran’s nuclear program.

“The IAEA now has to compensate Iran for causing damage to the development of its science, technology and economy” due to the suspension of nuclear activities, the television quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.

Under heavy pressure from the West, Iran suspended its enrichment of uranium and related activities in 2003 and began negotiating with the three big European powers to reach an agreed framework for its nuclear development.

But the talks foundered last year when it became clear Iran was not going to agree to abandon enrichment, a process that can produce material for nuclear power generators or bombs.

From August through January, Iran resumed in stages elements of its enrichment program – moves that were condemned internationally and led to the IAEA’s decision last month to report the country to the Security Council.

The United States and France have accused Iran of seeking to build an atomic bomb under the guise of a peaceful nuclear program. Iran denies this, insisting that its program is limited to generating electricity.