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Iran expects IAEA inspectors by month's end

TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- A spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said Friday inspectors from the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency were due in Iran at the end of January.

Spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency are to visit Iran Jan. 29 to inspect the Gachin uranium mine near the port city of Bandar Abbas, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

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Kamalvandi said the visit was in line with agreements made in November between the Iranian government and the IAEA.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said this week the next round of formal talks with the IAEA were rescheduled from their Jan. 21 start to Feb. 8. Araqchi offered no explanation for the delay.

Iran is suspected of pursuing the technology needed to manufacture a nuclear weapon, a charge it denies. IAEA inspectors last year said there may be a military dimension to certain aspects of Iran's uranium enrichment program.

Iran and Western negotiating partners agreed in Geneva, Switzerland, to implement the terms of the interim nuclear agreement starting Monday. Under the terms of the agreement, Iran agreed to suspend some nuclear research activity in exchange for relief from some economic sanctions.

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