By Country / Iran
Iranian President Calls On IAEA For Compensation
March 07, 2006
March 7, 2006 -- Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to compensate his country for its suspension of sensitive nuclear activities since 2003.
Ahmadinejad was quoted by Iran's state television as saying that the UN agency should compensate Iran for damages to the development of its science and economy caused by the suspension. Iran has since announced its abandonment of the suspension despite international pressure to keep the freeze in place.
Ahmadinejad reportedly made the comments shortly before the UN nuclear agency resumed the second day of a board meeting in Vienna that is expected to include debate on how to deal with the mounting crisis over Iran's nuclear ambitions.
IAEA discussions today include reviewing nuclear safety and nuclear technology. The issue of Iran 's nuclear program, including its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, is expected to come up later in the day or on 8 March.
The United States and United Kingdom have accused Iran of secretly pursuing the development of nuclear weapons, while the IAEA has criticized officials in Tehran of failing to disclose crucial aspects of its nuclear activities and linked those activities to at least one military project.
Iranian officials have consistently declared that the country's nuclear program is peaceful.
(AP, IRIB)