June 6, 2003	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 5, 1424

WASHINGTON, June 5: A bipartisan resolution brought before the US House of Representatives on Thursday demands that Iran allow international inspections of all its nuclear facilities whenever stipulated.

The movers, Reps. Edward Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, and Christopher Shays, a Republican from Connecticut, jointly chair the House’s Bipartisan Task Force on Non-proliferation.

The resolution urges the US government and the international community to immediately address Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons programme.

“Iran seems to be violating the spirit, if not the letter, of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty by building nuclear facilities that could lead to the development and production of nuclear weapons,” said Mr Markey. “In our resolution, we call on the president, the United Nations, and other countries to urge Iran to accept an additional, safeguard-strengthening agreement that give the International Atomic Energy Agency far greater access to known and suspected sites in Iran.

Recent reports in the US media have said Iran, with Russian assistance, is nearing completion of two light-water reactors near Bushehr.