VIENNA: Iran has continued to meet commitments under an interim nuclear agreement with six world powers, a confidential UN agency report showed, though Tehran temporarily halted conversion work that makes higher-grade uranium less suitable for bombs.

The monthly update by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran was not enriching uranium above a fissile concentration of 5 per cent, far below the 90pc level needed for atomic arms. It also said Iran had not made “any further advances” to its activities at two enrichment facilities and an unfinished heavy water reactor.

Under last year’s accord between Iran and the United States, France, Germany, Russia, China and Britain, the Islamic Republic halted its most sensitive nuclear activity and took other steps in exchange for some easing of economic sanctions.

It was negotiated to buy time for talks on a final settlement of a 12-year dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme, which it says is peaceful but the West fears may be aimed at developing a capability to produce nuclear weapons.

After Iran and the powers last month failed for a second time to meet a deadline for ending the stand-off, they extended the preliminary accord until June 30.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2014