IAEA chief rebuffs critics of Iran nuclear plan

VIENNA, Sept 7 (Reuters) The head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog body today rebuffed Western critics of a cooperation deal it struck with Iran as ''back-seat drivers'' and accused US media of a campaign to discredit him.

Under the Aug. 21 deal, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency and Tehran agreed on a rough timetable for addressing lingering questions about Iran's nuclear activities.

IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei said his agency would scrutinise Iran's promise to cooperate by the end of the year and demand documents and other proof of its good faith.

If Iran reneged, it would jeopardise any grounds for future trust, he said.

ElBaradei defended the deal against US suggestions that it allows Iran to buy time to master uranium enrichment, which could be diverted into atom bomb-making.

''There have been back-seat drivers putting in their five cents saying this is not a good working arrangement,'' he told several reporters invited into his Vienna office for a briefing.

''I tell (critics), please leave the driving to us and we will let you know where we are in November. We have a timeline which will enable us by November-December to check clearly whether Iran is ready to work with us in good faith, or whether as some like to say, Iran is just buying time,'' he said.

''Three months is in our view a reasonable time to resolve a number of complex issues going on for five years.'' The Islamic Republic says it wants to enrich uranium only to generate electricity, not make atom bombs as the West suspects.

UN inspectors remain unable to certify Iran has no secret military nuclear facility, but found no proof of one.

ElBaradei took aim at criticism in US media, which IAEA officials feel is being steered by Bush administration hawks fed up with Iran continuing to enrich uranium despite diplomatic efforts to stop it.

''Some people have been trying to shoot down the plan before they even read it. If you look at some of the American newspapers today there is a coordinated, orchestrated campaign to undermine the process, undermine the agency, undermine me.

''That's all right. What is really important for us is to make sure we (inspectors) do our jobs professionally.'' ElBaradei suggested that a U.S.-led push to isolate Iran with economic sanctions over its refusal to suspend enrichment could jeopardise the delicate rapprochement between Iran and the nuclear agency.

Iran says it will walk out of the deal if Western powers try to pass harsher sanctions through the U.N. Security Council, although Russian opposition suggests further penalties are on hold.

''People need to give Iran now the benefit of the doubt, there is a need to be firm but also a need to encourage Iran to cooperate,'' ElBaradei said.

ElBaradei said he expected the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors to give its nod to the plan at a meeting starting on Monday.

REUTERS PDT VC2150