UN nuclear watchdog meets on Iranian crisis
AFP, June, 2007
VIENNA (AFP) — A meeting opening in Vienna Monday of the UN nuclear agency could bring Iran one step closer to a third round of sanctions against its nuclear programme.
"The distance to New York has shortened," said a diplomat, referring to the UN Security Council which sits in New York and has already imposed two rounds of sanctions against Iran for nuclear activities that raise fears it seeks atomic weapons.
The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency will be hearing this week a report from IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei which states that Iran is in fact expanding uranium enrichment work, the process that makes fuel for civilian nuclear reactors but that can also produce atom bomb material.
Iran had as of May 13, over 1,300 centrifuges enriching uranium at an underground facility in Natanz, according to a copy of the report obtained by AFP.
Iran could reach its ...