According to a report provided by International Atomic Energy Agency official Pierre Goldschmidt to the I-A-E-A Board of Governors, the Iranian government has allowed I-A-E-A inspectors to visit several nuclear-related facilities. But Mr. Goldschmidt pointed out that Iran "offered no new information" on several "outstanding questions" and refused requests for I-A-E-A inspectors to visit certain sites at the Parchin military complex. Iran, he said, also made it clear that it is proceeding with the construction of a heavy–water nuclear reactor capable of making weapons-grade plutonium.
Jackie Sanders was the chief U.S. delegate to the I-A-E-A Board of Governors meeting. She said Mr. Goldschmidt's update "provides us with a startling list of Iranian attempts to hide and mislead, and delay the work of I-A-E-A inspectors." Ms. Sanders said Iran has shown its willingness "to cynically manipulate the nuclear non-proliferation regime in the pursuit of nuclear weapons." The I-A-E-A Board of Governors, said Ms. Sanders, has a "statutory obligation" to refer Iran to the U-N Security Council for possible sanctions.
In a statement to the I-A-E-A, Britain, France, and Germany expressed "serious concern" over the Iranian government's behavior. U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli says that Iran is following a familiar pattern:
"Iran continues to evade and obstruct and otherwise further its own isolation in the international community. And the message to take away from it all is that it's not going to work. It's not in Iran's interest. It's certainly not in the international community's interest, and there's…a growing consensus and a growing unanimity of views that we are going to work together to prevent this from happening."
"Iran continues to seek to develop a nuclear weapons capability under cover of a peaceful nuclear program," says Mr. Ereli. "This is unacceptable."
The preceding was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.
