Istanbul, Turkey — The U.N. nuclear watchdog said Monday that inspectors had uncovered no new evidence of concealed nuclear activities or an atomic weapons program in Iran, though it cautioned that the agency could not rule out covert activities.
The findings by the International Atomic Energy Agency were contained in a confidential report revealed the day after Iran's new pledge to suspend its uranium enrichment program.
The report's findings and Iran's promise to suspend enrichment could block U.S. attempts to refer Tehran to the U.N. Security Council for possible economic sanctions when the nuclear agency board meets Nov. 25, diplomats said.
Washington has accused Iran of using its nuclear program as a front to develop atomic weapons. The Iranian government has insisted that its goal is only to generate electricity.
The new report issued by the IAEA constituted a qualified clean bill of health for Iran and represented a setback for the United States.
"All the declared material in Iran has been accounted for and therefore such material is not diverted to prohibited activities," according to a copy of the report provided to the Los Angeles Times by a Western diplomat. "The agency is, however, not in a position to conclude that there are no undeclared nuclear materials or activities in Iran."
The report says the agency lacks the legal authority to conduct the extensive inspections required to say with 100 percent assurance that Iran has no weapons program.
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