Iran’s apparent reluctance to let UN inspectors visit a military site near Tehran underlines the uphill task they face in convincing the Islamic state to address suspicions it may be seeking to develop nuclear weapons, Western diplomats say.
They say the UN nuclear watchdog sought access to the Parchin complex during three days of talks in the Iranian capital, so far without any sign that Iran would agree to it.
More talks are scheduled for later this month.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) identified Parchin in a detailed report in November that lent independent weight to Western fears that Iran’s disputed nuclear activities have military links, an allegation Iranian officials reject.
The UN agency has not said whether the issue was among those it raised during the January 29-31 discussions in the Iranian capital aimed at shedding light on possible nuclear-linked weapons work, but diplomats accredited to the IAEA said it was.
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