ElBaradei hoped the new development will help dispel concerns about the nature of Iran's nuclear program (AFP)

VIENNA, November 29 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – In a major breakthrough in the standoff, the UN nuclear watchdog confirmed Monday, November 29, that Tehran has suspended all uranium enrichment activities.

“We have now…completed our verification of Iran's decision to suspend all enrichment and reprocessing related activities,” said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Regarding the 20 disputed centrifuges Iran initially wanted to exclude from the all-out freeze, he said the UN body has “already verified these 20 centrifuges and they are under (the) agency surveillance system.”

ElBaradei praised the development as “a first step in the right direction,” hoping it will help dispel concerns about the nature of Iran's nuclear program.

The IAEA adopted a British-French-German draft resolution which is relatively uncritical of Iran and praises the Islamic Republic for suspending uranium enrichment as a confidence-building measure.

The resolution was adopted by consensus by IAEA’s 35-nation board of governors, spokesman Mark Gwozdecky told reporters.

The resolution calls for continuing investigation into sensitive aspects of Iran's program and reflects Tehran's view that the voluntary suspension is “not legally binding,” since the country has the right to enrich uranium according to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

EU negotiators had agreed with Iran in Paris on November 7 on a freeze of all enrichment activities as a confidence-building measure.

This involves spinning uranium gas in cascade arrangements of centrifuges to make what can be fuel for nuclear reactors but also the explosive core of atomic bombs.

The suspension went into effect on November 22.

Iran had initially reacted with defiance to the IAEA’s resolution demanding suspension of uranium enrichment, threatening not to allow tough inspections of its nuclear sites.

Tehran suspended enrichment in October 2003 as a confidence-building measure but has continued support activities such as building the centrifuges that refine the uranium.

“New Era”

Hours before the vote, Iranian nuclear negotiator Hossein Moussavian told AFP the draft resolution “is without doubt the most positive one to be presented to the (IAEA) board of governors since the beginning of the Iranian nuclear crisis.”

He said the EU-negotiated nuclear agreement should open up a new era of cooperation between Tehran and Europe after a quarter-century of tensions.

“The substantial issue from now looking forward will be the comprehensive commercial, technology, security, political and even nuclear issues” the EU has promised to work out with Iran in a long-term agreement with negotiations set to start on December 15, Moussavian said.

Not Afraid

Commenting on the IAEA’s resolution, the White House said the world must “remain vigilant” about Iran's nuclear pursuits.

“The implementation and verification of the agreement is critical,” spokesman Scott McClellan said.

A few hours earlier, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said his country would press on with its nuclear program and was not afraid of pressure from the United States.

“The people and the officials are not scared of the political threats made by the powers in the service of oppression,” he was quoted by state television as saying during a meeting with visiting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

“Iran will never stop its nuclear program, that is our red line,” said Khamenei, who has the final say on all matters of state.

“The United States and the other powers know full well that Iran is not seeking to have a nuclear weapon, but their accusations are designed to make Iran give up nuclear technology.”

The United States, and its Mideast alley Israel, accuse Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons but Tehran denies the accusation, saying it merely wants to produce fuel to generate nuclear energy.

Khamenei said the IAEA “would lose credibility if, in its judgments and positions, it is influenced by the United States and its allies.”

In June, the UN nuclear watchdog admitted it had wrongly accused Iran of withholding information about importing magnets for advanced centrifuges.

Iran signed the additional protocol to the NPT in December last year, but parliament has yet to ratify it. The text obliges Iran to accept tougher IAEA inspections, including short-notice visits to even undeclared facilities.