Rising to Syria's defense, a senior Iranian diplomat
accused the organization — the International Atomic Energy Agency — of
harassing Syria by leveling false allegations in collusion with Israel and its
allies.
The two officials spoke as the 35-nation atomic agency
board meeting turned its attention from the agency's probe of Iran's nuclear
activities to suspicions that Syria has a hidden nuclear program.
Israeli warplanes bombed what the US says was a nearly
finished nuclear reactor three years ago, launching an agency investigation.
After an initial visit to the site, agency inspectors have not been allowed to
return — or visit other suspect sites — and the agency's chief, Yukiya Amano,
says Syria's lack of cooperation could mean that information sought by the
agency could be lost with the passage of time.
