Iran Rebuked in IAEA's Harsh Resolution

VIENNA, Austria -- - The U.N. nuclear watchdog agency censured Iran for past cover-ups in a resolution adopted recently, and warned Tehran to be more forthcoming if it wants an investigation of suspect activities to end.

Tehran warned it might retaliate by reconsidering plans to suspend its uranium enrichment.

The resolution submitted by three European powers -- France, Germany and Britain -- was a product of days of diplomatic maneuvering at a meeting of the 35-member board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency. It did not hand down sanctions against the country.

The document, passed by consensus, ``deplores'' that ``Iran's cooperation has not been as full, timely and proactive as it should have been. It notes ``with concern that after almost two years'' since Iran's undeclared program came to light that ``a number of questions remain outstanding.''

Hours before the resolution was adopted, the United States accused Tehran of bulldozing sites to prevent discovery of evidence of a nuclear weapons program.

Agreement on the text came despite Iranian efforts to substantially tone it down, including tactics that forced IEAE head Mohamed ElBaradei to acknowledge mistakenly accusing Tehran in one instance of holding back information.

The IAEA is investigating nearly two decades of covert nuclear activity by Iran. Tehran says its nuclear program is for generating electricity, but the United States claims it is for making weapons.

Iranian delegate Amir Zamaninia told the meeting the tone of the resolution was affected by ``wild and illusionary allegations of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons program.''

And he warned that his country was reviewing its ``voluntary confidence building measures,'' an indication that Iran might rethink the suspension of its uranium enrichment activities. Enrichment can lead to fuel for electricity or weapons-grade uranium for warheads.

ElBaradei admitted he incorrectly stated in a report to the board that Iran did not report the purchase of 150 magnets for centrifuges it was building secretly.

His admission came after Iran submitted an audiotape recording an IAEA inspector being informed about the purchase.

The report also said Iran inquired about buying thousands of such magnets on the black market.

``We still have no concrete proof that this has a military dimension but we are still are not in a position to say that this is exclusively for peaceful purposes,'' ElBaradei said recently.

The resolution notes that Iran was slow to give information about its centrifuge program and in some cases the information has been ``incomplete and continues to lack the necessary clarity.''

The resolution ``deplores'' the fact that ``Iran's cooperation has not been as full, timely and proactive as it should have been.'' It also notes ``with concern'' that questions remain about Iran's nuclear program nearly two years after it came to light.

As the three European nations put last touches on the text, diplomats speaking on condition of anonymity said the agency was looking at intelligence that Iran was razing parts of a restricted area next to a military complex in a Tehran suburb.

Satellite photos showed that several buildings had been destroyed and top soil had been removed at Lavizan Shiyan, one diplomat said.

But Iran's chief delegate to the Vienna meeting, Hossein Mousavian, denied the allegation and told The Associated Press the IAEA was free to visit the site.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher later accused Iran of deception that ``has gone to the extent of bulldozing entire sites to prevent the IAEA from discovering evidence of its nuclear weapons program.''

Boucher said commercial satellite photography shows the complete dismantling and the razing of a facility at Lavizan Shian, previously disclosed as a possible weapons of mass destruction location.

Most of the questions the agency wants answered relate to the sources of enriched uranium, including weapons-grade samples, found in Iran and the scope of Iran's centrifuge program, used to enrich uranium.

Even though the resolution does not give a deadline, it states it is essential for Iran to deal with issues ``within the next few months.''

It also does not contain a ``trigger mechanism'' -- a clause sought by Washington that could send the Iran case to the U.N. Security Council for violating the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

But a Western diplomat familiar with the U.S. position said the Americans were content because they ``feel this ... helps tee (Iran) up for Security Council action'' at the next board meeting in September. He did not elaborate.