The U.N. nuclear watchdog hopes Iran finally starts addressing long-held suspicions it has worked on designing an atomic bomb, a test of whether ties really are thawing under the Islamic state`s new president.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has made it clear it now wants Iran to end what the West sees as years of stonewalling the IAEA`s investigation into alleged nuclear bomb research by the country, which denies any such activity.
Diplomats are cautiously optimistic that the team of senior IAEA inspectors will return from the meeting in Tehran – which may run into Sunday – able to show at least some progress in gaining Iran`s cooperation with the investigation.
The IAEA wants Iran to clarify suspected activities in a range of areas of potential application to developing atomic bombs, including computer calculations and experiments that could be of use for any nuclear test.
IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said this week he hoped the talks in Tehran would lead to an agreement on “substantive measures”