U.N. Gives Mixed Reviews to Iran’s Nuclear Program

The good news, according to the U.N.‘s nuclear agency, is that Iran earlier was forthcoming with information about its nuclear program.  The bad news is that Iran is not now offering the same level of transparency, is reportedly still enriching uranium in defiance of the Security Council and may be, according to the BBC, cooperating just enough to avoid additional sanctions.

BBC:

The BBC’s Bethany Bell in Vienna says that while a number of questions about Iran’s past nuclear work have been answered, the report says the IAEA’s knowledge about Tehran’s current nuclear programme is diminishing.

The report, a copy of which was obtained by the BBC, found Tehran had been operating 3,000 centrifuges, the machines used to enrich uranium, at its plant at Natanz.

“Contrary to the decisions of the Security Council, Iran has not suspended its enrichment related activities,” the document says.

But the IAEA also noted the answers Iran had given about the history of its centrifuge programme were consistent with the agency’s own findings.

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AP photo / Vahid Salemi

He’s down with the program:  Iran’s head nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, fields questions at a press conference in Tehran on Thursday.