El-Baradei: No Sign Of Nukes At Suspect Iranian Site

IAEA head el-Baradei 17 September 2004 -- United Nations' nuclear watchdog head Muhammad el-Baradei said today that the International Atomic Energy Agency has found no sign of nuclear-related activity at a site in Iran which several U.S. officials have said may be tied to secret nuclear-weapons research.

"We are aware of this new site that has been referred to," he said. "We do not have any indication that this site has any nuclear-related activities. However, we will continue to investigate this and other sites, we'll continue to have a dialogue with Iran."

A former weapons expert, David Albright, and several U.S. officials earlier this week said new satellite images show Iran's Parchin military complex southeast of Tehran may be a site for research, testing, and production of nuclear weapons. Iranian officials dismissed the allegations as a "lie."

El-Baradei today also dismissed allegations that he had supressed information about Parchin in his latest report on inspections in Iran.

(Reuters/AFP)