Split UN watchdog puts off ruling on Iran atom aid

Vienna, Nov 21: The UN nuclear watchdog has put off until Thursday a decision on whether to block a disputed bid by Iran for help in building a nuclear reactor that could yield plutonium for atom bombs, diplomats said today.

They said Western and developing nations were deadlocked over terms for a compromise on Iran's request at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's technical affairs committee, meeting ahead of an IAEA governing board session.

''Efforts to reach consensus are stuck, so they have decided to send the Iran item to the full board without the usual recommendation on whether to approve or not, and let the board decide,'' said a senior IAEA diplomat, who requested anonymity.

The United States and European Union urged delegates at the 35-nation IAEA board committee session on Monday to deny Iran's request for IAEA expertise to ensure the Arak heavy water reactor under construction upholds agency safety standards.

The IAEA board and UN Security Council have already asked Iran not to pursue the Arak project due to concerns Tehran could derive plutonium from spent uranium fuel used in the production process.

Tehran has vowed to complete it in 2009.

IAEA board approval of technical aid requests by member states developing peaceful nuclear energy is usually routine.

But Western members said the Arak case must be rejected due to Iran's record of evading IAEA non-proliferation inspections and defiance of UN demands to stop enriching uranium.

''Given past board decisions, continued questions about Iran's nuclear programme and the risk of plutonium being diverted to use in a weapon, the United States joins with others who cannot approve this (Arak) project,'' Gregory Schulte, US ambassador to the IAEA, told the board committee on Monday.

Nation at Odds

But developing nations argued a rejection of Tehran's request would set a politicised precedent for withholding technical aid from them for peaceful atomic energy programmes.

Iran, insisting its nuclear fuel programme is peaceful, says it will produce only radio-isotopes for medical uses at Arak. It would replace a smaller light-water reactor that predates Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

Diplomats said most board members wanted to avoid a divisive vote that Iran was likely to lose and blame on Western bullying.

They said a deal was being considered under which the board would shelve the Arak item while approving the other seven technical aid requests made by Iran, seen as less problematic.

Schulte said Washington was prepared to join a consensus for that solution since IAEA experts had certified these projects would not further Iran's ability to produce atomic fuel.

They include developing radiation therapy for medical ends, help in commissioning a Russian-built nuclear reactor not deemed a proliferation risk, and regulatory aspects of nuclear energy.

Diplomats said the most feasible outcome was a deal to defer, rather than reject outright, the Arak item pending a steer from the Security Council, where world powers are mulling sanctions on Iran but cannot agree how tough they should be.

Tehran says its nuclear agenda is limited to generating electricity. The United States and EU fear Iran is seeking bombs to threaten Israel and Western interests in the Middle East.

Iran vows to build the reactor whether IAEA safety aid is granted or not. It is one of 820 proposals from 115 nations up for consideration and ratification by the board by Friday.

Reuters