ElBaradei Submits Report on Iran Nuclear Issue to Security Council

A press release issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency on the 31st stated that the agency's Director General ElBaradei had submitted a report on Iran's implementation of Security Council Resolution 1696 to the agency's council members and the United Nations Security Council that afternoon.

The communiqué did not cover the specific content of the report. According to diplomats here, the report, which was not authorized to be released to the press, determined that Iran had not complied with the requirements of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1696 and suspended its uranium enrichment activities before August 31. The report believes that Iran is still conducting small-scale uranium enrichment activities in the past few days and before the deadline set by the Security Council is approaching. The report pointed out that due to the lack of cooperation from Iran, the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors encountered difficulties when conducting inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities.

Based on the findings of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors, the report concluded that the progress of Iran's nuclear program so far is still very limited in quantity and quality. The agency has recently discovered some new problems in its inspection of Iran's nuclear program, but there is no specific indication that Iran's nuclear program is used for military purposes. The report also pointed out that the International Atomic Energy Agency's investigation into some unresolved issues in Iran's nuclear program has stalled, but clarifying these issues is very important to prove that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.

The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1696 on the Iranian nuclear issue on July 31, requiring Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment-related activities before August 31, otherwise it may face sanctions. The Security Council also requested the International Atomic Energy Agency to submit a report on Iran's implementation of the resolution to the Security Council before August 31. According to reports, Iranian President Ahmadinejad said on the 31st that Iran will never succumb to international pressure on the nuclear issue, let alone choose to retreat when threatened.