IAEA declares Iran nuclear energy program peaceful

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has acknowledged that Iran is using its nuclear energy program solely for peaceful purposes, Press TV reported.

"Iran has a comprehensive agreement with the IAEA and Iran is subject to UN Security Council resolutions which are legally binding. This is the standard," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said at a joint press conference with Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai on Wednesday.

"In light of this standard, I can say that declared activities and material of Iran are staying in peaceful purposes," Amano told reporters in New Delhi.

He stressed that the West's dispute over Iran's nuclear program should come to an end "through diplomatic means and dialogue."

"I will continue the dialogue with Iran and hope that we can report positive results through our next meeting in June," he said, referring to the next meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors.

The United States, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the IAEA, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.