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 The statement followed a Reuters report on Thursday, citing
sources familiar with the matter, that the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) last year planned a major report on Iran that
might have revealed more of its alleged bomb-relevant research, but
held off as the Islamic Republic's relations with the outside world
thawed.
The sources told Reuters there was no way of knowing what
information collected by the IAEA might have been incorporated in
such a new document, although one said it could have added to
worries about Tehran's activities.
There was no immediate comment from the IAEA.
Israel disapproves of the last half-year's Western rapprochement
with its arch-foe, arguing that Iran has won sanctions relief while
retaining the infrastructure to pursue nuclear weapons. Iran says
its atomic aspirations are peaceful.
"The role of the IAEA is to expose to the international community
all information regarding military aspects of the Iranian nuclear
project, and not to withhold it for reasons of diplomatic
sensitivity," Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said
in a statement.
"Because the matter of the PMD (possible military dimensions) is so
important to a final deal with Iran, I call on the IAEA to complete
and publish the report at the earliest opportunity," he said.
Israel is widely assumed to have the region's only nuclear arsenal.
It has representatives in the IAEA but, unlike Iran, has not signed
the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Sources told Reuters the planned IAEA report would probably have
amounted to a wider review of the Iranian nuclear file, including
PMD and other outstanding issues. They said the idea was raised
internally when the IAEA's long-running efforts to get Iran to
cooperate with its investigation appeared completely deadlocked in
mid-2013.
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But with a new leadership in Tehran trying to end its international
isolation, Iran and the IAEA agreed last November a step-by-step
transparency pact to help allay concerns about its atomic
activities.
This was sealed shortly before a breakthrough November deal between
Tehran and the six powers - the United States, Russia, France,
Germany, Britain and China - which is meant to be capped by a final
accord in July.
In follow-up talks on February 8-9, Iran agreed for the first time
to address one of many PMD issues in the 2011 report, regarding
so-called exploding bridge wire detonators, which can have both
civilian and military applications.
The IAEA's dossier in November 2011 contained a trove of
intelligence indicating past activity in Iran which could be used
for developing nuclear weapons, some of which it said might still be
continuing. Iran rejected the allegations as fabricated and
baseless.
Since then, the Vienna-based U.N. watchdog has said it obtained more
information that backs up its analysis in the 2011 document, but has
not given details.
(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
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