UN watchdog sets Oct. 25 for Iran inspection

TEHRAN, Iran — The head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog on Sunday said inspectors would be examining Iran’s recently revealed nuclear facility on Oct. 25.

Mohamed ElBaradei spoke in Tehran following talks with Iranian officials over a recently revealed uranium enrichment facility that has caused consternation around to world over the extent and purpose of Iran’s nuclear program.

“It is important for us to send our inspectors to have a comprehensive verification of the facility and to make sure that it is for peaceful purposes,” he said. “We agreed that our inspectors will inspect the site on the 25th of October.”

ElBaradei, who sat along aside Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi, said talks had been a success and he saw the possibility of defusing the international crisis over Iran’s nuclear program.

“We need transparency on the part of Iran and we need cooperation on the part of the international community,” he said, describing a “shifting of gears” in relations between Iran and the western powers.

Revelations that Iran had a second, previously unknown, site to refine uranium has raised new international fears of the purposes of the nation’s nuclear program.

The U.S. and its allies say Iran’s program is seeking nuclear weapons while Iran says it is for peaceful purposes.