UN nuke inspectors visit Iran facilities

TEHRAN -- Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi expressed optimism yesterday that a visit by UN inspectors to Iran's nuclear facilities would produce an understanding, despite world concerns that Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons.

The three-day inspection tour by the International Atomic Energy Agency team comes during spiking tension. The West has imposed new sanctions to try to force Iran to slow or halt its nuclear program, and Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil passage, in retaliation.

Salehi, visiting Ethiopia, appeared to try to defuse the crisis. "We are very optimistic about the mission and the outcome," he was quoted as saying by Iran's semiofficial Mehr news agency.

"We've always tried to put transparency as a principle in our cooperation with IAEA," Salehi said. "During this visit, the delegation has questions and the necessary answers will be given."

The findings from the visit could greatly influence the direction and urgency of U.S.- led efforts to rein in Iran's ability to enrich uranium -- which Washington and allies fear could eventually produce weapons-grade material. Iran has declined to abandon its enrichment labs, claiming its aims are only for energy and medical research.

The UN team, with two weapons experts, Jacques Baute of France and Neville Whiting of South Africa, is likely to visit an underground enrichment site near the holy city of Qom, 80 miles south of Tehran, a site carved into a mountain as protection from possible airstrikes. -- AP