A spokesman for Ban Ki-moon has that the UN chief will stress to Iranian leaders this week that they must take “urgent” action on the country’s nuclear program and human rights.

UN spokesman Farhan Haq made the statement to reporters on August 28 as Ban headed to Tehran to take part in the Non-Aligned Movement summit starting August 29.

The United States and Israel have said that Ban should not go to Iran.

Haq said Ban will raise “clear concerns” with Iran which will “include Iran’s nuclear program, terrorism, human rights and the crisis in Syria.”

Ban is expected to meet Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

He is scheduled to arrive in Tehran on August 29 and to leave two days later .

Based on reporting by AP and AFP
By RFE/RL