WHO to hold on to smallpox virus for 3 years

GENEVA - A decision on when to destroy the last known stocks of live smallpox was put off for another three years at the World Health Organization's annual meeting on Tuesday in the latest stage in a debate that has lasted decades.

The issue had deeply divided the annual World Health Assembly in Geneva, with Iran spearheading opposition to a US and Russian-backed plan to postpone setting a date for destruction for five years.

Iran was at the forefront of countries arguing for the stocks held in Russia and the United States to be destroyed now.