UN chief: Iran should open nuke programs

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Friday that Iran must disprove allegations that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons, but that diplomacy is the only way to resolve international concern about its program.                

Ban appeared to reject U.S. and Israeli suggestions of possible military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities as a last resort, if diplomatic efforts fail to persuade the Islamic Republic to stop work that could be used to make such weapons.               

"All these issues should be resolved peacefully through negotiations, through dialogue," the U.N. chief told reporters when asked if there was a "Plan B"  a possible alternative to diplomacy. I don't know what you meant by 'Plan B.' But there is no alternative to a peaceful resolution to this issue."                  

Ban spoke after attending ceremonies marking the 15th anniversary of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization, a Vienna-based U.N. agency set up to detect secret nuclear weapons testing, and ahead of a crucial visit to Tehran by International Atomic Energy Agency experts.                

Ban urged quick action from the United States and the seven other nations that need to ratify the nuclear Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to bring it into force.              

The IAEA team will arrive in Tehran Monday for talks meant to dent nearly four years of Iranian refusal to cooperate with the agency regarding allegations that Tehran has worked  or continues to work  on components of a nuclear weapons program. Iranian officials deny that, saying the claims are based on bogus intelligence from the United States and Israel.    

AP