Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

VIENNA, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran is expanding its uranium enrichment work despite suspension demand from the UN Security Council, the UN nuclear watchdog chief said on Monday. "The facts on the ground indicate that Iran continues to perfect its knowledge relevant to enrichment, and to expand the capacity of its enrichment facility," Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in his introductory statement to the agency's board of governors. The 35-nation board of governors of the IAEA started a five-day meeting here Monday, with Iran's nuclear issue set to be the focus.
An IAEA report two weeks ago said that Iran continued to resist the UN Security Council ban on enrichment and instead was expanding its activities. The UN Security Council on March 24 unanimously adopted a new resolution with tougher sanctions to pressure Iran to suspend uranium enrichment activities. The United States is using the IAEA meeting to press for more sanctions against Iran, which Iran is trying to avoid. The United States and some European countries accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons with its uranium enrichment project, an accusation Iran denies, saying it only wants it for electricity.