Iran denies atomic plant violates international law

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Iran reiterated on Monday that its newly disclosed second uranium enrichment plant does not violate international law and said that concerns raised by the West were baseless.

"It does not violate any international law. Western countries are making unrealistic comments," foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi told reporters.

On Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that Tehran had told it the Islamic republic was building a second uranium enrichment plant in addition to its existing facility at Natanz.

The revelation unleashed a global outcry against Tehran which is already at loggerheads with world powers over its controversial atomic programme.



A sample of enriched uranium

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Map showing Qom and Natanz reported uranium enrichment facilities

International Atomic Energy Agency

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for military purposes. It was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957. Though established independently of the United Nations under its own international treaty (the IAEA Statute), the IAEA reports to both the General Assembly and the Security Council.

The IAEA has its headquarters in Vienna, Austria. Two "Regional Safeguards Offices" are located in Toronto, Canada; and Tokyo, Japan. The IAEA has two liaison offices, located in New York, USA; and Geneva, Switzerland. In addition, it has laboratories in Seibersdorf and Vienna, Austria; Monaco; and Trieste, Italy.

Today, the IAEA serves as an intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical co-operation in the peaceful use of nuclear technology worldwide. The IAEA's programmes encourage the development of the peaceful applications of nuclear technology, provide international safeguards against its misuse, and facilitate the application of safety measures in its use.

http://www.iaea.org/

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With crucial talks aimed at curtailing Irans nuclear program set to begin, the rhetoric is heating up.
On Thursday, the United States, along with the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany, will meet with Iranian officials in Switzerland hoping to convince Iran to come clean about its nuclear ambitions.

They may be fighting an uphill battle. On Wednesday, Iranian President Mamhoud Ahmadinejad said that its the West that needs to change its ways.

Israel will be following the progress of the negotiations closely. There has been talk that the Israelis will take military action against Iran, if the talks dont succeed.

Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies joins Martin Savidge to discuss whether an Israeli air strike against Irans facilities would even be effective. Read his opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal.