"The IAEA should resume its work in Iraq as soon as possible," said IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei in a statement delivered on his behalf to an informal meeting of the UN Security Council today.
"The IAEA continues to be the sole organization with legal powers - derived from both the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and successive Security Council resolutions - to verify Iraq's nuclear disarmament," Dr. ElBaradei said.
"We await the guidance of the Council as to the modalities of our return," he added.
Dr. ElBaradei further informed the Council that the IAEA had advised the Coalition about the need for physical protection of the location of Iraq's declared nuclear material. He said the IAEA had also provided information about the location of radioactive sources, to enable safety and security measures to be taken.
Related Coverage: IAEA and Iraq