U.N. weapons inspectors arrive in Iran to visit nuclear facilities

TEHRAN, Iran — Five U.N. weapons inspectors arrived in Iran to visit uranium enrichment and reprocessing plants, Iranian media reported Saturday — a visit Iran hoped would prove its nuclear intentions are peaceful.

The visit by the inspectors for the International Atomic Energy Agency was the first since Iran announced in mid-February that it was suspending surprise inspections and removing agency cameras from some nuclear facilities.

Iran's deputy nuclear chief, Mohammed Saeedi, said the inspectors would begin their work at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility in central Iran today, followed by a visit to the Natanz uranium enrichment plant.

Iran says its nuclear program is merely for generating electricity, not weapons as the U.S. claims.

The previously scheduled inspection comes ahead of a visit this week by Mohammed ElBaradei, head of the IAEA, who is expected to encourage Iran's hard-line government to concede on its atomic program.

On March 29, the U.N. Security Council demanded Iran suspend enrichment and asked the IAEA to report back in 30 days on whether it had complied.