IAEA chief approved for third term News
IAEA chief approved for third term

[JURIST] Mohamed ElBaradei [official profile] received unanimous approval Monday to continue as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) [official website] for his third four-year term, after the US ended its opposition to his tenure. ElBaradei's reappointment had been postponed [JURIST report] earlier this year in the face of US criticism over ElBaradei's handling of the agency's negotiations with Iran and nuclear inspections in Iraq prior to the March 2003 war. Last week, European negotiators agreed to drop their demands that Iran be referred to the UN Security Council over its nuclear program and the IAEA board approved a resolution [JURIST report] this weekend declaring Iran in "non-compliance" with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [PDF text; JURIST news archive]. ElBaradei denies that Iran is making nuclear weapons and also denies that Saddam Hussein's regime had an active atomic weapons program. AP has more.