UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had said ahead of the visit that the “onus is on Iran” to demonstrate that its nuclear activities are not weapon-related.
IAEA Deputy Director Herman Nackaerts was speaking to journalists on February 1, following a three-day trip to Iran that ended on January 31.
Nackaerts said the UN’s nuclear watchdog and Iran remain “committed” to clarifying the nature of Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, adding that the IAEA is planning to return to Iran in the “very near future.”
Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
The IAEA in November said there were indications the Iranian nuclear program could have a military element.
Tensions over the nuclear program have mounted as Western governments have ratcheted up pressure on Tehran through oil and other sanctions, Israel has hinted at possible plans to intervene militarily, and Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil conduit.
U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said on January 31 that a combination of Western sanctions and diplomacy could still persuade Iran to abandon sensitive nuclear work.
Compiled from agency reports
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