VIENNA - Members of the United Nations nuclear regulatory agency voted Friday to censure Iran’s nuclear activities, amid Western suspicions the country is developing atomic weapons.

Iran says the resolution “jeopardizes” the environment needed for productive international talks on its nuclear program.

The resolution, drafted by diplomats from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, demands Iran halt construction of a previously-secret uranium enrichment site and confirm it has no other hidden nuclear activities.

Twenty-five out of the 35 members on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s governing board voted in favor of the measure, while three countries voted against it, and six abstained.

It is the first IAEA action against Iran since 2006.

Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, had warned Thursday Iran would cooperate less with the United Nations agency if the resolution is approved.

During Thursday’s meeting, IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei criticized Iran for hiding its efforts to build the uranium enrichment site near the city of Qom until early September.

ElBaradei also said his probe into allegations that Iran has tried to make nuclear weapons has reached a “dead end” because Tehran is not cooperating.

The IAEA chief adds he is disappointed that Iran has not agreed to a U.N.-backed proposal to send its uranium abroad for further enrichment.  He urged Iran to seize the opportunity.

Russian officials also called on Iran to abide by the enrichment proposal on Thursday.

The plan calls for Iran to send more than 70 percent of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France.  The uranium would be converted into fuel rods and returned to Iran for use in a medical research reactor. 

Iran has rejected Western charges it is using a civilian nuclear program as a cover to develop atomic weapons.  The U.N. Security Council has imposed three sets of sanctions on Iran for its refusal to stop enriching uranium.

Source:  VOA News