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Iran has resumed uranium enrichment, which was suspended under a deal with the European Union and critical questions remain about its atomic programme, the United Nations nuclear watchdog has said.
In a new report, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Tehran had resumed its uranium enrichment programme and asserted that questions remained about its atomic programme.
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It confirmed that Iran had pushed ahead with nuclear fuel work, which the IAEA had called on it on August 11 to halt in order to save talks with the European Union on guaranteeing that Tehran's atomic programme was peaceful.
The agency said it was still not in a position to conclude that there were no undeclared nuclear materials or activities in Iran.
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"In view of the fact that the agency was not yet in a position to clarify some of the important outstanding issues after 2-1/2 years of intensive inspections and investigation, Iran's full transparency is indispensable and overdue," the report by IAEA chief Mohamed El Baradei said.
The report is likely to increase tensions between Iran and thnuke fuel worke West, a week before a critical meeting of the IAEA board which could refer the issue to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.
Iran maintains that its programme is purely for peaceful uses but the United States believes that Tehran is secretly pursuing a nuclear weapon development programme.
The report, distributed to IAEA board members on Friday, is still confidential but its contents have been leaked to select Western media.