I ran has two months to prove that it has nothing to hide about its nuclear programs. Last weekend, the governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency passed a resolution calling for an immediate halt to the country's uranium enrichment-related activities. The unanimous resolution said Tehran should meet all demands by the agency by late November, when the board is scheduled to hold its next session.

Iran, however, reacted defiantly to the resolution, saying its nuclear activities are designed strictly for power generation. Still, there is persistent suspicion that it may be trying to develop nuclear weapons through uranium enrichment. The Iranian government, if it is really committed to a peaceful nuclear program, should do everything it can to dispel the suspicion by accepting full U.N. inspections and taking stronger confidence-building measures.

Iran's nuclear activity is a long story dating back many years, but it was not until after February last year that IAEA inspections raised concerns about a clandestine experiment with uranium enrichment. Following talks with Britain and two other European states, Iran suspended the work and signed the Additional Protocol to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, making clear that it had no intentions of developing nuclear weapons.