TEHRAN, March 3 (UPI) -- The director general of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog said Monday he couldn't say that all of Iran's nuclear activity was for peaceful purposes.
Iran is suspected of pursuing the technology needed to manufacture a nuclear weapon, an allegation it denies. Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the agency's board of governor's Monday he couldn't make any definitive statements on the nature of Iran's research activity.
"[I'm] not in a position ... to conclude that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities."
Iran in November voluntarily agreed to open itself up for more IAEA inspections. In a separate deal with Western powers, the Iranian government agreed to curb its nuclear activity in exchange for modest relief from economic sanctions.
The official Islamic Republic News Agency reported members of the P5-plus-1 -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany -- are expected to meet with Iranian representatives for another round of talks Friday in Vienna.
Talks last month were overshadowed by Iranian complaints over bellicose rhetoric from U.S. officials who said "all options" remain on the table should Iran renege on the nuclear agreement.
The U.S. State Department in February said it wasn't clear if all parties to the negotiations would be able to reach a final agreement at the end of the six-month framework, "though we aim to."
