VIENNA: The United States and leading European nations accused Iran on Wednesday of trying to intimidate the U.N.'s atomic watchdog, in a deepening dispute over Tehran's barring of some nuclear inspectors. The U.S. envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) suggested, without elaborating, that the body's 35-nation governing board may at some stage consider taking action against Iran over the issue. IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said earlier this week that Iran's refusal to admit certain experienced inspectors was hampering the agency's work in the country. Iran rejected the charge and said two inspectors it banned in June had provided false information about its activities. The dispute has further strained ties between Iran and the IAEA and deepened international concern about Iran's nuclear programme, which Western powers suspect is aimed at developing atom bombs. Tehran says it only seeks to generate electricity. "It is unprecedented for a state to reject inspectors because they report accurately ... what they see and hear," U.S. Ambassador Glyn Davies said according to a copy of his speech. He said Iran was making a "clear effort" to intimidate inspectors and influence their work. In a separate statement at the closed-door board meeting, France, Germany and Britain voiced concern about what they called Iran's growing failure to cooperate with the U.N. body. "Iran's refusal to fully cooperate with the IAEA and its deliberate attempts to prevent it from carrying out its mandate in Iranian territory are ... troubling and reprehensible," a copy of the statement read out by a French envoy said. "The Iranian authorities are clearly attempting to intimidate the agency so as to influence its ability to report to the board and undermine its ability to effectively implement the safeguards regime in its territory," it said.
