Nuke chief blasts atomic agency

Associated Press

VIENNA

Iran’s nuclear chief said Monday that “terrorists and saboteurs” might have infiltrated the International Atomic Energy Agency in an effort to derail his nation’s atomic program. It was Tehran’s harshest attack on the integrity of the U.N. organization and its investigation of allegations that Iran is striving to make nuclear arms.

Fereydoun Abbasi rebuked the U.S. in comments to the IAEA’s 155- nation general conference, reflecting Iran’s determination to continue defying international pressure aimed at curbing its nuclear program.

Revealing what he said were two sabotage attempts on his country’s nuclear program, he challenged the perpetrators to launch new attacks, saying his country is determined to learn how to protect its interests through such assaults.

The defiant speech was bound to give a greater voice to hard-line Israeli leaders who say that both diplomatic efforts and economic penalties have had no effect on Iran, leaving military strikes as the only alternative to stopping it from developing nuclear weapons.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a proponent of such an option, made a direct appeal to American voters Sunday to elect a president willing to draw a “red line” with Iran.