DAR AL HARB / ISLAM - THE WEST / IRAN: THE U.N. CUTS NUCLEAR AID, IRAN SAYS NOT A BIG PROBLEM

UN atomic agency to ratify Iran aid cuts

VIENNA (AFX) - The UN atomic agency was set Wednesday to ratify drastic cuts in technical aid to Iran as the United States and Europe again blamed Tehran for failing to suspend strategic nuclear fuel work.

However, the two powers said at a meeting in Vienna of the International Atomic Energy Agency that they still hoped for a negotiated settlement to the Iran nuclear crisis.

They also joined other key countries in welcoming an upcoming trip by IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei to North Korea and urged Pyongyang to swiftly dismantle its own nuclear weapons programme.

'The European Union underlines the importance of a swift and full implementation of commitments...leading to the dismantlement of the nuclear weapons programme of (North Korea) in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner,' German ambassador Peter Gottwald told the IAEA's 35-nation governing board.

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U.N. Nuclear Agency Freezes Nearly 2 Dozen Technical Assistance Programs to Iran

VIENNA, Austria — Delegates to a 35-nation meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday approved the suspension of nearly two dozen nuclear technical aid programs to Iran as part of U.N. sanctions imposed because its nuclear defiance.

The decision to deprive Iran of 23 projects was taken by consensus and was expected. Even nations on the IAEA board normally supportive of Iran backed it because it was recommended by agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei, on authority of the U.N. Security Council.

"I have not heard anyone express dissatisfaction" with ElBaradei's recommendations, said Ramzy Ezzeidin Ramzy, Egypt's chief IAEA representative, before the decision, reflecting the meeting's widespread unanimity on the issue.

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Iran says cuts in UN aid won't affect enrichment work

VIENNA (AFX) - Iran said the UN atomic watchdog's cuts in aid to the Islamic Republic will not affect its uranium enrichment work.

'None of these projects are related to the enrichment program. The enrichment program will continue as planned,' Iranian ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh told reporters after a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The UN atomic watchdog unanimously approved major cuts in aid to Iran as part of UN sanctions over Iran's nuclear programme, a spokesman said.


Pertinent Links:

1) UN atomic agency to ratify Iran aid cuts

2) U.N. Nuclear Agency Freezes Nearly 2 Dozen Technical Assistance Programs to Iran

3) Iran says cuts in UN aid won't affect enrichment work