(VOVworld) International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have concluded a three-day visit to Iran to investigate allegations of a covert Iranian nuclear weapons program.

Iran's nuclear plant on the outskirts of Isfahan city

With tensions running high between Iran and the West, an EU ban on Iranian oil sales and other recent developments have heightened fears of an imminent war in the Middle East. Tamir Pardo, Director of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, was in Washington on Tuesday to discuss a possible attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Georgian President Mikhael Saakashvili met with US President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday to discuss Georgia's readiness to assist the United States in any Iranian-American conflict and to allow US forces to use its territory to attack Tehran. Analysts say Georgia’s airports at Vaziani, Marneuli, and Batumi have been upgraded at US expense to serve future military needs.

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta reiterated in a 60-minute interview on CBS News two days ago President Obama’s determination to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He said US officials will take all necessary steps to stop Iran if Washington receives persuasive intelligence that Iran is developing nuclear weapon. Stepping up pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear program has been a hot topic in Washington. Congressman Howard Berman, Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Relations Committee, has called for increased sanctions on Iran’s energy sector, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and financial institutions that support the National Iranian Oil Company, or the National Iranian Tanker Company.

The US and the EU have used economic, diplomatic and military measures to isolate Iran. Defiance from the administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has alarmed observers. Last month’s military drills in the Strait of Hormuz showed off Iran’s military strength. The country has threatened to block the Strait in retaliation for the EU oil ban. Last month, Tehran made public its new unmanned aerial vehicle A1, which can fly at an altitude of 10,000 feet and carry a 5 kg payload for two hours.

However, there is still hope of defusing the crisis. The IAEA team’s three-day visit led by chief inspector Herman Nackaerts marked an opportunity for Iran to demonstrate that it does not have a nuclear weapons program. The team has not visited any nuclear facility. It negotiated with Iranian officials to work out a plan for follow-up meetings on February 21^st and 22^nd. 

The IAEA visit comes just in time to ease tensions between Iran and the West. An IAEA report last November suggesting that Iran is developing nuclear weapons was a pretext for the West to step up sanctions. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said on national TV that Iran is ready to negotiate with the 5 members of the UN Security Council  and Germany. This is a ray of hope for the world community.  

Anh Huyen