Larisa Calls, IAEA Responds: AP/Reuters Reports About Iran Barring Weapons Inspectors Were ... um ...

I'm trying to run a decent and respectable blog here, so I can't finish the headline.

Larisa Alexandrovna:

Earlier this morning, Reuters (and AP too) news service ran a piece citing one UK government official and an anonymous Iranian source alleging that the IAEA inspectors were were thrown barred out of Iran. Now just to make clear why this is important, Saddam Hussein had allegedly done the same thing according to reports, which was not true.

The IAEA cannot and does not generally issue specific responses when dealing with a country, because the matters are confidential. So I called them to see how solid this story was that Reuters put out. My report is at Raw Story, but here is in part the statement I was given, which is up in full at RS:

"It should be noted however, that there are a sufficient number of inspectors designated for Iran and the IAEA is able to perform its inspection activities in accordance with Iran's Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement."

For them to issue this statement shows how concerned they are about these reports, so concerned, they are willing to go on the record and issue something more than just their standard confidentiality statement. It also shows that the Reuters reporter did not contact the IAEA, inexplicably.

Is this bad reporting or propaganda?

Larisa has a poll going on the question and I think you should visit her blog and respond to it. It's the least we can do to support her efforts, no?

Well, that last bit is just MVHO ... but you're welcome to share it.

PS Larisa links to the Reuters report; the AP report is here.