So Iran signed an “accord” with the International Atomic Energy Agency that they would allow “snap inspections” of their nuclear sites.

Of course, no inspections have actually taken place, but I’m sure they will. Would the mullahs lie to us? Would the IAEA?

The second question seems especially pertinent, after reading the following story. It seems the IAEA built into that “accord” a rather huge loophole—a loophole big enough to drive a Fat Man through (and I don’t mean Michael Moore): Diplomats: Iran Amassing Atomic Enrichment Machines. (Hat tip: Colt.)

But Western diplomats told Reuters Iran has made it clear that it was only suspending activities that fell under its limited definition of the term “enrichment-related” and has therefore continued acquiring enrichment centrifuge machinery.

They say Iran maintains it would only breach the accord if it actually enriched uranium, not just acquired materials.

“They’re getting a lot of stuff,” said one Western diplomat who follows IAEA issues closely, referring to centrifuge technology. “They’re not assembling it, but they’re getting it.”

Another Western diplomat said the problem was that there were competing definitions of “enrichment-related activities.”

Yet another diplomat said it was “ridiculous” to exclude procurement activities from the suspension. He said the IAEA Board of Governors understood at its meeting on Iran in November that the definition of “enrichment-related” would be set out by the IAEA and not Tehran.

Why am I getting an uneasy feeling that the IAEA isn’t really working as hard as they could to prevent the Iranian Bomb?