Disappointment in DC

VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- The International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday reported ''significant'' cooperation from Iran with its nuclear probe and noted that Tehran had slowed uranium enrichment -- assessments that could hamper U.S. hopes for new U.N. sanctions.

Iran said the report proved it was the target of unfair U.S. attacks. But Washington and its allies said it did not change the need for more U.N. Security Council penalties.

IAEA Deputy Director-General Olli Heinonen highlighted the importance of Tehran's cooperation, noting that its past stonewalling had triggered Security Council sanctions in the first place. But he cautioned that Iran still needed to prove it would abide by its commitments.

The report said a recently agreed Iran-IAEA cooperation plan was a ''significant step forward'' but the U.S. played down suggestions of progress...

France was even more direct. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pascale Andreani declared that without an enrichment freeze, Paris will ''pursue ... looking into a third sanctions resolution.''

The Company loves it when they install a reliable puppet. Especially in France. But alas, this time around it may not be sufficient for them to git thar war on:

...Drawn up by IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, much of the confidential report obtained by The Associated Press focused on the already publicized Iran-IAEA cooperation plan, restating progress in some areas and time frames for Iran to respond to additional questions.

In that plan, Iran agreed to answer most questions from agency experts by November.

If that and all other deadlines are met and Iran provides all the information sought, the agency should be able to close the file on its more than four-year investigation of Tehran's nuclear activities by year's end, a senior U.N. official said...

Repeating the findings of the Iran-IAEA cooperation plan, the report -- to be considered by the 35-nation IAEA board at a meeting starting Sept. 10 -- said the agency felt that information provided by Iran on past small-scale plutonium experiments had ''resolved'' agency concerns about the issue.

Woops. No nukular program for Dear Leader to bomb. No pretense on the ground that has even more oil for Cheneyburton to hoard for the Company coffers. But when did facts ever stop him?