U.N. nuclear inspectors arrive in Iran

Inspectors from the U.N. nuclear watchdog arrived in Tehran on Thursday, Iran's Students' News Agency (ISNA) reported, in an attempt to seal a deal to ease international concerns over Iran's disputed nuclear program.   

Thursday's talks in Tehran are the first such meeting between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran since August.   

ISNA said the seven-member IAEA delegation headed by Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts would meet Iranian nuclear officials.   

Israel has threatened military action if diplomacy and economic sanctions targeted at halting Iran's uranium enrichment program fail to resolve the longstanding dispute.   

Iran has denied that its nuclear program has military aims and has threatened to strike Israeli and U.S. targets in the region if it is attacked.   

The IAEA wants an agreement that would enable its inspectors to visit a military complex, Parchin, and other sites it suspects may be linked to what it has called the "possible military dimensions" to Iran's nuclear program.   

The nuclear watchdog believes Iran has conducted explosives tests with possible nuclear applications at Parchin, a sprawling facility southeast of the Iranian capital, and has repeatedly asked for access.   

Iran says Parchin is a conventional military site and has dismissed allegations that it has tried to clean up the site before any visit.


REUTERS