Iran must go beyond cooperation plan for trust

VIENNA, Sep 10 (Reuters) The UN nuclear watchdog chief said today Tehran must take measures well beyond a limited plan for atomic transparency in order to remove distrust of its nuclear intentions.

The US and West are critical of the plan, saying it allows Iran to answer questions on its atomic activities on a vague timeline while leaving untouched its expanding uranium-enrichment programme, a possible route to atom bombs.

Mohamed ElBaradei defended the agreement between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran, saying the provision for Iran to clarify questions about previously hidden past sensitive activities was ''an important step in the right direction''.

Zeroing in on Western grievances, he underlined the plan was limited and in itself would not absolve Iran of all suspicions, despite Iranian assertions since agreeing the pact that its nuclear file is now ''closed''.

For that to happen, ElBaradei said it was ''indispensable'' that Iran permit wider-ranging inspections, targeting sites not declared to be nuclear, and suspend enrichment-related activity as mandated by IAEA Board and UN Security Council resolutions.

''Resolving all outstanding issues in the next two to three months, after a long deadlock, would go a long way towards building the confidence of the international community in the peaceful nature of Iran's past nuclear programme,'' he said in an address to the 35-nation IAEA board at the opening of an governors meeting.

US officials said Western missions would push at the meeting for swifter Iranian implementation of the ambiguously-worded pact that Iran and the IAEA agreed would be phased over several months.

PUSH TO END DELAY ''We will press for rapid cooperation (by Iran) rather than continued delay and many countries will be joining us in doing so,'' US Ambassador to the IAEA Gregory Schulte told reporters.

''Cooperation that is partial, conditional and only promised in future is not enough, cooperation that gives Iran the wherewithal to produce nuclear weapons is not enough,'' he said.

Western powers complain Iran bulldozed IAEA inspectors into the deal relieving pressure on Tehran to rein in its nuclear work.

The plan has also interrupted a US-led push to rein in Iran by eroding European support for, and stiffening Russian resistance to, tougher UN sanctions. Iran won the reprieve by threatening to cut off the IAEA if pressure intensifies, diplomats said.

''Iran obviously needs to continue to build confidence in the scope and nature of its current nuclear programme, including renewed access by the agency to information relevant to ongoing advanced centrifuge research,'' ElBaradei said.

''This would enable the agency to provide assurances not only regarding declared nuclear material but, equally important, the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities.'' ElBaradei also made clear the IAEA would insist on documents and access to hitherto off-limits areas to check Iranian answers to inquiries into alleged military involvement in nuclear energy development, which Iran says is only for generating electricity.

Western diplomats dismissed reports ElBaradei was seen to have overstepping his authority in approving the transparency plan without consulting the board, but remained sceptical.

''What concerns some is that this agreement appears to create a pathway to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue without Board or Security Council involvement,'' said one Western diplomat.

''The plan only creates a mechanism for resolving some past issues. It was largely drafted by the Iranians and agreed by the (IAEA) Department of Safeguards. The IAEA told us at a recent briefing, 'It was the 'best we could get'.'' REUTERS GL KN1729