IAEA`s Chief Dies at Age 72

Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano, has died at the age of 72 after suffering poor health for some time, IAEA said on Monday.

The longtime Japanese diplomat led the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) since 2009, and was due to step down in March because of an unspecified illness.

During his tenure he had overseen a period of tense negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program.

It is not yet clear who will succeed him, though discussions over who will replace him began last week.

The Japanese national had taken over from Mohamed ElBaradei a decade ago and his third term was due to run until November 2021.

However, Amano appeared increasingly frail after undergoing an unspecified medical procedure in September.

"The Secretariat of the International Atomic Energy Agency regrets to inform with deepest sadness of the passing away of Director General Yukiya Amano," the IAEA statement said.

The agency said the flag over its head office in Vienna had been lowered to half-mast.

Amano was regarded as more reserved and technocratic than his outspoken predecessor, who regularly clashed with US officials over its policies on Iran.

Amano joined the Japanese foreign ministry in 1972 and held increasingly senior positions, notably as director of the science pision and director of the nuclear energy pision.

He served as chairman of the IAEA's policy-making board of governors in 2005-06 when the agency and Mr ElBaradei were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Amando was narrowly elected as the agency's head in 2009, backed by Western powers, in an election race which highlighted a deep pide between industrialised and developing nations on the IAEA's board.