WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- The White House said Thursday the IAEA report on Iran's nuclear activities appears to confirm Tehran's non-compliance with U.N. Security Council demands.
The report by Mohamed El Baradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, was released Thursday.
"... United States officials, State Department officials, have just received the report," said Dana Perino, deputy press secretary. "But on first glance, it does appear to confirm what we expected, which is that the Iranians have not complied with the international community had passed in U.N. Resolution 1767.
"And in that resolution, it said the allies would take a look at this report, get together, and then think about next steps. And so that's where we are now."
Resolution 1767, which repeated the demand of an earlier one, insisted Iran freeze its nuclear enrichment activities, which the United States and others believe is aimed at producing a nuclear weapon. The resolutions came after Iran stepped back from an aid induced deal it reached in 2004 with Britain, France and Germany.
IAEA officials have said the report says Iran has not only not frozen its nuclear programs, but has actually speeded up and expanded enrichment activities.
Iran's intransigence and harsh statements have stoked concern that Israel, with or without the United States, could resort to air strikes in an attempt to cripple the Iranian project.
Perino said Thursday the report reached the White House as President Bush was leaving Thursday for an appearance in North Carolina and it was unlikely had yet seen it.
The report will make its way to the U.N. Security Council, which could impose more stringent economic sanctions on the Tehran regime to prod it to freeze enrichment so negotiations could resume over its nuclear ambitions and activities.
Iran claims its nuclear fuel enrichment is for peaceful purposes.
