Iran has not addressed its past nuclear research according a confidential International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) document, Reuters reported today.

The confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), obtained by Reuters, said Tehran was continuing to withhold full cooperation in two areas of a long-running IAEA investigation that it had committed to giving by August last year.

“Iran has not provided any explanations that enable the agency to clarify the outstanding practical measures,” the IAEA said, referring to allegations of explosives tests and other activity that could be used to develop nuclear bombs. …

The IAEA document about the U.N. inquiry, which has run parallel to the big power talks, was issued to IAEA member states only weeks before a deadline in late March for a framework agreement between Iran and the powers.

The Associated Press adds:

Iran agreed a year ago to work with the IAEA. But — like previous probes — the investigation quickly stalled over Tehran insistence that it never wanted or worked on such weapons.

Iran was bound by the Joint Plan of Action (JPOA), which Tehran and the P5+1 nations agreed to in November 2013, to resolve with the IAEA “past and present issues of concern” about its nuclear program. At issue are the possible military dimensions (PMD) of Iran’s past nuclear research.

Last June, IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano stated that Iran’s failure to disclose possible PMD meant a deal by the original November 2014 will be unlikely. In November, the JPOA was extended for another seven months.

In June of last year, Iran blocked IAEA inspectors from accessing the Parchin military site, where it is believed that Iran carried out exploding bridge wire experiments. An exploding bridge wire could be used to detonate a nuclear explosion. In September, the IAEA blasted Iran for failing to cooperate and for destroying evidence of past nuclear research that had PMD. In assessing the IAEA’s final report before the extension of the JPOA was agreed to in November, the Institute for Science and International Security concluded that “Iran is not cooperating on this key issue and appears unwilling to settle it.”

Iran’s continued non-cooperation with the IAEA prompted Amano to say last month that he could not confirm that “that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities.”

[Photo: IAEA Imagebank / Flickr ]