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Published online 27 February 2008 | Nature 451, 1038 (2008) | doi:10.1038/4511038a
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Iran refuses to cooperate with atomic agency
IAEA report highlights unanswered questions.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last week completed a long-awaited report that was expected to wrap up its investigation of Iran's nuclear programme. But the report has failed to make progress on the two major sticking points.
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It is disappointing that a scientific journal like Nature engages in similar non-factual and misleading reporting as some of the mainstream media. Its headline "Iran refuses to cooperate with atomic agency", its subtitle "IAEA report highlights unanswered questions" and much of the content of that article completely misrepresents the IAEA report, whose Summary begins by saying "The Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran. Iran has provided the Agency with access to declared nuclear material and has provided the required nuclear material accountancy reports in connection with declared nuclear material and activities. Iran has also responded to questions and provided clarifications and amplifications on the issues raised in the context of the work plan, with the exception of the alleged studies. Iran has provided access to individuals in response to the Agency's requests. Although direct access has not been provided to individuals said to be associated with the alleged studies, responses have been provided in writing to some of the Agency's questions". The Summary continues in similarly positive tone, describing several questions that Iran clarified and as a consequence are no longer outstanding, and concludes that "With the exception of the issue of the alleged studies, which remains outstanding, the Agency has no concrete information about possible current undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran." The single issue that the IAEA report states has not been fully addressed by Iran, the "alleged studies", are not findings by the IAEA, they are alleged intelligence findings by the United States that the US has transmitted to the IAEA. However, nowhere in the Nature article is that fact clearly explained. Intelligence findings by the United States about alleged WMD's in Iraq (later proven false) were uncritically reported and amplified by the press and helped create public support for the US Iraq invasion in 2003. Headlines such as Nature's this week may well contribute to similar consequences.
It is sad that Nature has allowed Declan Butler to insist drugging its reputation to the neighborhood of Fox News. Following his unscientific and politically charged article on Feb 12, 2008 (1), he was allowed to publish another two weeks later of the same poor quality commentary (2). If Mr. Declan Butler is so desperate to reinforce his view on the subject of Iran and nuclear energy, it would have been more interesting for the readers to see an article by William Kristol and Joe Lieberman both of whom would say outwardly what Mr. Declan Butler preaches without saying it: 'bomb Iran now'.