The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Vienna

The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, whose handling of Iran's nuclear defiance has provoked occasional U.S. displeasure, plans to step down later this year, according to a confidential document obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

Mohamed ElBaradei's current term ends Nov. 30 and the "Director General is not available for a further term of office," said the document dated Sept. 5 and circulated among the 35-nation IAEA board.

Diplomats linked to the IAEA who are familiar with ElBaradei have recently said they did not expect the reclusive agency head to stand for another term. Still, he had kept his plans close to his chest ahead of the formal announcement that he would not run for re-election.

Austere and methodical, the Egyptian diplomat has taken a sometimes strident line while guiding the Vienna-based agency through the most serious troubles it has faced since the end of the Cold War.

He also has had to contend with U.S. opposition, although that ended three years ago when IAEA member nations formally approved his reappointment for a third term. The decision to award him and his agency the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize for their nonproliferation efforts strengthened his hand against his critics.

Much of the opposition stemmed from Washington's perception that he was being too soft on Iran for not unequivocally declaring it in violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. That stance helped block a U.S. bid to haul Tehran before the U.N. Security Council for more than two years until the board finally voted to do so in February 2006.