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UN nuclear chief heads to Iran

September 19, 2015

The head of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency is flying to Tehran for meetings following the landmark nuclear deal in July. Officials want to remove "ambiguities" over Iran's past nuclear activities.

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Iran's nuclear facilities
Image: Getty Images

The trip is part of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) planned investigation about a "possible military dimension" to Iran's nuclear program.

The watchdog has agreed to provide an assessment under a landmark deal reached by six world powers and Tehran over the summer.

Their determination is a vital component of the deal, which will allow international sanctions to be lifted on Iran in return for restrictions on its nuclear activities.

IAEA chief Yukiya Amano was due to travel to Tehran on Saturday, ahead of meetings with "high-level Iranian officials" on Sunday, according to a statement from the nuclear agency.

A spokeswoman for the agency declined to specify which officials he would meet.

The IAEA said it had sent Iran questions relating to its submissions about its past nuclear activities, adding that there had been "ambiguities" in Tehran's original documents.

It said 10 days ago that "technical expert meetings, technical measures and discussions would be organized" prior to October 15.

Infographic on Iran's nuclear program

Iran's nuclear agency said Sunday's talks were aimed at implementing an agreement between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog.

The official IRNA news agency said during his visit Amano would likely attend a meeting of a special parliamentary committee that will be reviewing Iran's nuclear deal.

The historic pact was reached in July to curb Iran's nuclear program following several years of on-off negotiations.

The West suspects Iran's nuclear program of having a secret military dimension, which Iran has constantly denied.

Tehran has always maintained that the program was meant for peaceful applications like power generation and cancer treatment.

mm/mk (AP, Reuters)