Bomb concern makes Iran "special case" :IAEA head

VIENNA (Reuters) – The U.N. atomic watchdog chief on Monday deflected an Arab push for Israel's nuclear work to receive the same scrutiny as Iran's, saying Tehran's failure to dispel fears over its intentions made it a "special case."

Yukiya Amano said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could not inspect presumed nuclear power Israel in the same way it does Iran until Israel signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Jewish state says it cannot discuss the issue as long as many of its Arab and Islamic neighbors -- most of which do not recognize Israel -- remain hostile to its existence.

The U.N. nuclear body is investigating NPT member Iran over proliferation concerns. Iran rejects Western suspicions that it is covertly pursuing a nuclear weapons programme and its IAEA envoy said Israel's atomic capability was the bigger issue for Middle East security.

But, with the U.N. Security Council expected to vote on new Iran sanctions this week, Amano indicated the case of Israel and Iran were not comparable.

The main issues remained Tehran's escalating uranium enrichment -- in defiance of U.N. resolutions demanding a halt -- and its failure to grant unfettered access to his inspectors.

"Iran is a special case because, among other things, of the existence of issues related to possible military dimensions to its nuclear programme," he said, opening a meeting of the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors.

Amano also said he was waiting for a response from big powers on a plan for Iran to part with some of its nuclear material in return for fuel rods for a medical research reactor.

Western officials have made clear that they are unsure about the latest plan, brokered by Turkey and Brazil, which comes eight months after a similar idea to ease nuclear tensions was outlined with the help of the IAEA.

Amano said things had changed since the IAEA made its offer, with Iran starting higher-grade nuclear enrichment and the fact that its low-enriched uranium stockpile had doubled in size.

"These are the differences," he said, adding that he would however not provide a judgment on the value of the new offer.

ISRAEL ALSO IN FOCUS

Arab states will try to add pressure on Israel later this week when the board debates Israeli nuclear capabilities at their request. They want Amano to help implement an IAEA resolution urging Israel to enter the NPT and put its nuclear sites under agency safeguards. He will report in September.

"The reports on Iran and Israel are not of the same nature," Amano said.

It will be the first time the IAEA's policy-making board addresses the topic since 1991, at a time of wider international scrutiny of Israel state after its deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid convoy a week ago.

A U.N. conference in New York to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) last month also put Israel in the spotlight at the behest of Arab nations.

Israel said it would likely provide a response on the issue later this week. "This discussion is continuing over time, it is not new for us," envoy Ehud Azoulay told reporters.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied having nuclear weapons but is presumed to have a significant arsenal.

Iran is an NPT member and has granted some access to the IAEA but is seen by the West as a treaty renegade and potential bomb risk because it failed to report sensitive nuclear activity.

Iran said the IAEA should concentrate its efforts in the Middle East on Israel, Tehran's regional arch-foe.

"(Israel) is a serious security concern for the region and the world at large," Ali Asghar Soltanieh told reporters, criticizing "crimes against humanity in Gaza. This sort of violation of international law plus nuclear capability is very dangerous for the security of the whole world."

Some Western diplomats questioned of why it was necessary to discuss Israel before Amano's report was ready.

India, Pakistan and North Korea are also outside the NPT.