VIENNA, July 16 (KUNA) -- Diplomatic sources of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday revealed IAEA Director Manager Yukiya Amano has submitted his resignation because of his health conditions.
The sources spoke to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on condition of anonymity that the agency's General Secretariat intends to issue an official statement on this matter within two days.
Amano has decided to submit his resignation due to worsening conditions of his health, the sources said.
Because of these conditions, Amano did not attend some meetings of the agency like the annual conference held last September and the emergency meeting of Board of Governors on Iran this month.
It was reported that Amano is suffering from a malignant disease and has been subjected to chemical therapy over the last months.
The sources did not rule out that there would be candidates for the post as soon as possible in line with the agency's regulations.
Amano came to office in 2009 to succeed Nobel Peace laureate Mohammad Al Baradei, who spent 12 years in the post.
Over 10 years, Amano has been doing his best to accelerate and expand the agency's contribution to achieving peace, activating technical cooperation and its relevant activities as well as preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. The agency's employees are 2,300 from 90 countries. (end) amg.hm