IAEA’s ElBaradei Turns a Blind Eye to Iran’s Nuclear Program

James Phillips / August 20, 2009

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz yesterday published a disturbing report alleging that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N.’s “nuclear watchdog”, has willfully suppressed evidence that Iran is continuing efforts to develop a nuclear weapon. Citing anonymous Israeli officials and “senior Western diplomats”, reporter Barak Ravid wrote that controversial IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei “was refraining from publishing evidence obtained by [his] inspectors over the past few months that indicate Iran was pursuing information about weaponization efforts and a military nuclear program.” If true, such irresponsible efforts to cover up critical information related to Iran’s nuclear program would be consistent with ElBaradei’s past record of downplaying Iran’s violations of its nuclear safeguard commitments and his politicization of his agency’s activities. (more…)