http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1108983.html
Last update - 23:25 20/08/2009
Iran lifts ban on UN inspectors at nuclear sites
By News Agencies Tags: Nuclear Program, Iran
Iran announced Thursday it will allow United Nations inspectors to visit a
nearly completed nuclear reactor as well as grant greater monitoring rights at
another atomic site, according to diplomats.
The diplomats said International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors visited the
nearly finished Arak heavy water reactor last week after a yearlong ban.
Separately, they said Iran agreed last week to IAEA requests to expand its
monitoring of the Natanz uranium enrichment site. It produces material for
nuclear fuel that can be further enriched to provide fissile material for
warheads.
The diplomats demanded anonymity Thursday because their information was
confidential.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that Western powers will have to
respond with further sanctions against Iran if there is no progress on nuclear
talks.
She told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the focus of any new sanctions
would be on the energy sector.
"If there is no progress, we have to react with further sanctions," she was
quoted as saying, adding that Germany and its partners would have to decide in
September on any further action.
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