No deadline for Iran's nuclear probe: UN
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-14 10:00

UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei said yesterday that there was no deadline for ending an investigation into Iran's nuclear programme.

"It's an open process and we will be finished with Iran when we are finished." said ElBaradei, who heads the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Western countries, headed by the United States, which suspect Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, have been pushing for the IAEA to set a deadline for completion of the Iranian investigation.

An Iranian representative, Hossein Musavian, said that his country expected the IAEA investigation to be wrapped up in November.

"I believe that in November everything should be finalized," he said.

He said the Iranian file "should be closed and go to the normal way and be followed up in safeguards," a reference to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The UN nuclear watchdog will continue investigating South Korea for uranium enrichment and plutonium experients Seoul had failed to report, in what is "a matter of serious concern," IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said yesterday.

ElBaradei told a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors that he would report aoain to the board on the investigation by its next meeting in November.

Meanwhile, the head of Israeli military intelligence, General Aharon Zeevi, claimed yesterday that Iran could be in a position to develop nuclear weapons without outside help within six months.

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