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The Wayfarers trilogy by author Jim Yackel

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

IAEA 'bans' attacks on nuclear installations

An Iranian proposal prohibiting military attacks against nuclear installations worldwide has been approved by the UN nuclear watchdog's general conference, an Iranian official says.

"Iran's proposal … has been approved in the meeting," said Ali Asghar Soltaniyeh, Iran's envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, on the sidelines of the week-long General Conference in Vienna.

Considered the highest policymaking body of the IAEA, the General Conference meets annually to consider issues such as non-proliferation, nuclear safety, nuclear safeguards and nuclear security.

The general conference in 1990 passed a resolution banning "all armed attacks against nuclear installations devoted to peaceful purposes whether under construction or in operation."

Iran says a new resolution is vital as "nuclear installations all over the world are increasing and any sort of threatening attacks ... will have radiological consequences all over the world."

Tehran, however, has denied a link between the proposal and Israeli threats against its nuclear facilities.

Tel Aviv, believed to be the sole possessor of a nuclear arsenal in the Middle East, accuses Tehran of making efforts to build a nuclear bomb and has threatened to target Iranian nuclear installations militarily.

In June 1981, Israel launched a 'preemptive' airstrike on the Iraqi breeder reactor in Osirak, under the pretext that Baghdad posed a threat to Tel Aviv's 'absolute' military superiority in the region.

In September 2007, Israel launched another attack against an alleged nuclear facility in Syria.

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