Report: UN team did not visit Iran's nuclear sites

Visiting UN inspectors did not visit any of the country's nuclear sites, Iran's official news agency has reported, concentrating instead on talks with officials.

IRNA yesterday quoted an unnamed Iranian official as saying the team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency conducted negotiations with Iranians and did not visit the sites where uranium is being enriched. He said the talks were held in a "positive and constructive atmosphere." The report did not elaborate. There was no comment from the UN team.

Tension has been building over Iran's nuclear program. The US and its allies charge that Iran is using its uranium enrichment facilities to produce material for nuclear weapons. Iran has declined to abandon its enrichment labs, saying it seeks to operate the reactors only for energy and medical purposes, not for making weapons.

The IAEA team arrived Sunday on a visit set for three days. An Iranian official indicated it could be extended, but a report from the semi-official Fars news agency Tuesday indicated the talks were over.

Mohammad Karamirad, a member of the influential parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, told the Isna news agency yesterday that the visit by the IAEA team showed Iran has had "comprehensive and honest cooperation with the agency."

Karamirad said, "The visit can be beginning of new round of talks with the West, and it proves the peacefulness of Iran's nuclear activities."

Iran has been trying to display cooperation with the team and downplay expectations of a confrontational atmosphere during the visit, which began Sunday.