UN chief welcomes inspection of new Iranian enrichment facility

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at a monthly news conference at the UN headquarters in New York, the U.S., Oct. 28, 2009. Ban Ki- moon welcomed on Wednesday the recent inspection of Iran's new uranium enrichment site by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (Xinhua/Shen Hong)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed on Wednesday the recent inspection of Iran's new uranium enrichment site by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Speaking at his monthly press conference at UN Headquarters, Ban called the IAEA inspection this week on the Iranian enrichment site in Qom as "a positive step."

He said that in his meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmdinejad in September, he had urged Tehran to "take this step and cooperate fully with the IAEA on all outstanding issues."

"I also welcome the draft agreement, circulated by the IAEA, related to the supply of fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor," he said. "Agreement would constitute an important confidence-building measure and could set the stage for further advances in the negotiations."

IAEA inspectors visited the uranium enrichment facility in Qom on Sunday, the second of its kind owned by Iran.


United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at a monthly press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, the U.S., Oct. 28, 2009. Ban Ki- moon welcomed on Wednesday the recent inspection of Iran's new uranium enrichment site by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Source: Xinhua