Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have inspected
Iran's second cascade of centrifuges used for uranium enrichment, the official
IRNA newsagency reported yesterday.
Two IAEA inspectors "visited nuclear sites in Isfahan and Natanz and
inspected operation of second cascade of centrifuges for enrichment of uranium,"
IRNA said, quoting an Iranian nuclear official.
The experts arrived in Tehran on Friday and will stay for four days to carry
out their inspections in line with Iran's commitment to the safeguards agreement
of Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the official said.
The inspectors will provide the results of their inspection to IAEA chief
Mohammed El Baradei, who is expected to deliver a report to a meeting of IAEA
Board of Governors scheduled on Nov. 30, according to the IRNA report.
Iran announced in late October that it had fed gas into a second cascade of
centrifuges at a uranium enrichment facility and obtained the product.
The United States has been seeking to impose sanctions on Iran through the UN
Security Council on the grounds that Tehran is developing a nuclear-weapons
program under the guise of a civilian-use program.
However, Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes
and voiced hope for talks with Europe, Russia, China and the United States, but
the Islamic Republic rejected a prerequisite of suspending nuclear work for such
talks.