UN agency says Iran’s objections to inspectors hampers monitoring of nuclear activities

UN nuke agency says monitoring of Iran is hampered

VIENNA — The U.N. atomic agency says its monitoring of Iran’s nuclear activities is being hampered because Tehran objects to giving some agency inspectors access to its program.

The unusual warning is contained in a restricted report on Iran made available to The Associated Press.

It follows Iran’s recent decision to strip two experienced inspectors of the right to monitor Tehran’s nuclear activities after they reported undeclared nuclear experiments conducted by Tehran. Iran says the reporting by the two was inaccurate but the IAEA stands by their findings.

The report is being circulated to the IAEA’s 35-nation board and to the U.N. Security Council. Iran says it wants to enrich to create energy. But enrichment can also create the fissile core of nuclear warheads.