IAEA inspectors arrive in Iran to visit new nuclear site

Four inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived in Iran

TEHRAN, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Four inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived in Iran early Sunday in order to visit Iran's newly-disclosed uranium enrichment plant near Qom, a Xinhua photographer said.

The inspectors, who were expected to stay in Iran for two or three days, will visit the nuclear site near Qom later Sunday, according to their agenda announced earlier by the IAEA.

Last month, Iran confirmed that it is building a new nuclear fuel enrichment plant near the central city of Qom. In reaction, the IAEA asked Tehran to provide detailed information and access to the new nuclear facility as soon as possible.

Leaders of the United States, France and Britain have condemned Iran's alleged deception to the international community involving covert activities in the new underground nuclear site.

At a meeting between Iran and top envoys from the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany in Geneva, Switzerland, on Oct. 1, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili promised that Tehran would soon open the facility near Qom to UN inspectors.

During a subsequent visit to Iran, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said on Oct. 4 that the UN nuclear watchdog would inspect Iran's new uranium plant near Qom on Oct. 25.

The inspection of the newly-disclosed uranium enrichment facility would be carried out in line with the nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Safeguards Agreement in Iran, ElBaradei said at a joint press conference in Tehran with Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

The United States and other Western powers suspect the program is aimed at producing nuclear-weapon material, but Tehran contends that the program has no military component and has steadfastly rejected calls to halt the effort.