Reactor at Bushehr in Iran
Photo: AP
Israel urges more pressure on Iran
Foreign Ministry issues response to IAEA report on Iran and Syria, says Iran's continuing uranium enrichment merits international intervention; also calls for probes into sites barred by Syria after evidence of nuclear activity was discovered there
Israel responded Friday to a report filed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the subject of nuclear proliferation in Iran and Syria.
The IAEA has issued new reports on Iran and Syria, in which it stated that Iran had recently understated the amount of uranium it had enriched.
The Foreign Ministry stated that "the international community must increase its pressure on Iran to stop its military plan. Regarding Syria Israel is demanding that other sites be investigated."
Proof
News agencies
UN nuclear agency report says new traces of uranium, graphite found in samples from suspected reactor site bombed by Israel. Agency officials also negate Damascus claim any uranium came from Israeli missiles. Separate IAEA report says Iran has markedly slowed the expansion of it uranium enrichment program
"The report on Iran signifies its continuing enrichment of uranium, a violation of Security Council resolutions and a refusal to cooperate on Iran's part in the effort to verify suspicions regarding the military objectives of its nuclear program," the statement said.
It added that the report, though similar to its predecessors, presents circumstances of a more dire nature because it signified that Iran had created a stockpile of enriched uranium "by disregarding the demands of the international community".
"Israel once again calls on the members of the international community and its institutions to increase pressure on Iran to abandon its plan, by which it threatens to obtain nuclear arms," the Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry also expressed concern regarding Syria, where the report said evidence of a covert nuclear reactor had been found in an area bombed by Israel in 2007.
"Israel expects a thorough and impartial investigation by the IAEA and its leader, including visits to other sites to which Syria is currently preventing access," the statement said.
"These two countries are operating in secret in the field of nuclear technology in a manner that endangers peace in the region and the world."
The US also expressed concern regarding the report's findings, and White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Iran was clearly violating terms set by the international community.
"The report represents another lost opportunity for Iran as it continues to renege on its international obligations. Absent compliance, the international community cannot have confidence that this program is exclusively of a peaceful nature," Gibbs told a news conference.
Reuters contributed to this report
