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Report: No progress in Iran talks with UN watchdog on nuclear transparency

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Reuters says that no progress has been made in talks this week between Iranian officials and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over “possible military dimensions” to Tehran’s nuclear programme.

An IAEA report in 2011 suggested that Iran had, until 2003 and possibly since then, conducted research into developing nuclear weapons. Iran had refused to answer the allegations last year agreed with the IAEA that it would comply with seven transparency steps to help address suspicions by 25 August. Iran has failed to meet the deadline and subsequent talks between the two sides this week apparently failed to make any tangible progress.

Reuters reports that diplomats in Vienna, where the talks took place said that little if any progress was made. The IAEA simply said, “The agency and Iran will continue discussions,” but gave no further details. Reuters suggest that among the issues yet to be clarified are suspected explosives testing and neutron calculations, which can be applied to attempts to make a nuclear bomb. It is also thought that the IAEA is concerned about the development of so-called Explosive Wire Detonators, which can be used to help trigger an atomic explosion, but which Iran claims were being developed for civilian use.

Although negotiations between the IAEA and Iran are separate from a parallel diplomatic process between Tehran and the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany), they are considered complimentary, as a measure of Iranian openness. The most recent round of talks showed little sign that a long-term agreement on Iranian nuclear development would be reached by the agreed 24 November deadline.

Meanwhile, a report in Kuwaiti publication Al Rai says that Western intelligence agencies believe that Iran has been testing nuclear warheads at the Parchin facility, from which IAEA officials have been denied access since 2005. A major explosion took place at Parchin earlier this week, which Al Rai claims was caused by an unnamed foreign country.