The UN nuclear agency, which verifies that countries that signed the treaty honor commitments for the peaceful use of nuclear material, wants Tehran to allow inspectors unfettered access to its facilities without prior notice. Iran has offered to allow more monitoring in exchange for advanced technology.
Under the treaty, members gain access to technology to build peaceful programs. Iran needs expertise to build advanced reactors.
"We want the [IAEA] to end discrimination against us and allow all member states equal access to nuclear technology," said Gholamreza Aghazadeh, Iran's nuclear chief.
Washington, meanwhile, has begun to pressure Russia to stop exporting advanced nuclear technology to Iran. Russia is helping Iran build a light-water reactor in the southern port city of Bushehr.
During a recent summit in France, the US and seven other industrialized nations called for Iran to sign a protocol allowing inspections of all suspected nuclear sites at any time.
Just after the IAEA report was distributed to the board, US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said it was cause for concern. He said the US would work closely with IAEA board members to decide what to do next.
The meeting of the 35-nation board, which got under way yesterday and is expected to last several days, will be held in secret.
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