Iran Accuses IAEA Of Nuclear Sabotage

By Maya Shwayder | September 17 2012 4:34 PM

The head of Iran's nuclear program today all but called the International Atomic Energy Agency a group of terrorists during the 56th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, saying it has been "infiltrated by... saboteurs" and is heavily under the influence of "certain states," the BBC reported.

Reuters

Iran's Abbasi-Davani attends a news conference during the 56th IAEA General Conference in Vienna.

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Fereydun Abbasi-Davani, the head of Iran's atomic Energy Organization said in a speech on Monday that Iran "always opposed and will always denounce the manufacture and use of weapons of mass destruction."

He also said a recent unexpected shutdown at Iran's newest nuclear facility was the work of IAEA "saboteurs."

On August 17, an explosion in the Fodrow plant suffered an explosion that severed its electricity cables, the Telegraph reported.

"During the early hours of next morning, an Agency inspector requested to conduct an unannounced inspection. Does this visit have any connection to that detonation?" asked Abbasi-Davani, according to the Telegraph. "Who, other than the IAEA inspectors, can have access to the complex in such a short term to report and record failures?"

In response, the IAEA "rebuked" Iran, and scolded them, expressing "serious concern" over their continued defiance against the U.N. Security Council in not shutting down their program.