Islamic Republic Insists It Has Not Hidden Nuclear Secrets from Inspectors

The Islamic Republic, while once again under pressure to prove that it is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, insists that it has not hidden nuclear secrets from United Nations inspectors. Hamid Reza Asfari, spokesman for the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran, stated to reporters that there are no nuclear facilities in Iran of which the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is unaware. He added that Tehran will continue its transparent cooperation with this UN-affiliated organization. These comments come as Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the IAEA, is set to visit Iran on Tuesday. The Islamic Republic has been under increasing international pressure regarding its nuclear program and denies U.S. accusations that its nuclear power program is, in fact, a cover for secret efforts to produce nuclear weapons. Under an agreement reached last year with the mediation of Britain, France, and Germany, the Islamic Republic agreed to suspend its uranium enrichment program and related activities while allowing UN inspectors to investigate Iran's nuclear program.