Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived in the Islamic Republic Tuesday following a resolution adopted by the UN Security Council on December 23 on sanctions against Tehran for refusing to suspend its nuclear program. The experts will remain in the country until January 16.
Iran has been the focus of international concerns since it resumed uranium enrichment a year ago. Some countries say Tehran is pursuing a covert nuclear weapons program, an allegation that Iran has consistently denied, saying the program is geared solely towards civilian power generation.
The UN Security Council resolution bans all activities related to uranium enrichment, chemical reprocessing, and the construction of heavy-water reactors and nuclear weapons delivery vehicles in Iran, and urges all countries to stop supplying the Islamic Republic with nuclear technology and materials that could enable it to develop nuclear weapons.
Tehran reacted to the resolution with a pledge to review its cooperation with the IAEA and to continue nuclear development despite any sanctions against the country that the UN Security Council may enforce.