VIENNA, Austria--UN inspectors discovered traces of weapons-gradeuranium at an Iranian nuclear facility, a report by the UN nuclearagency says. Iran said Tuesday the traces came with equipmentpurchased abroad decades ago.
The find heightened fears that Tehran may be running a secretnuclear weapons program.
International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors found "particles" ofhighly enriched uranium that could be used in a weapons program atthe facility at Natanz, said the report prepared for a meeting of theUN agency's board Sept. 8. Contents of the report were made known bydiplomats who requested anonymity.
The United States has accused Iran of developing a clandestinenuclear weapons program, violating the Nuclear NonproliferationTreaty barring the spread of atomic weapons.
Iran has denied the allegations, insisting its programs aredevoted only to generating electricity.
Ali-Akbar Salehi, Tehran's ambassador to the IAEA, said theequipment was "contaminated" with enriched uranium before it waspurchased by Iran.
Salehi said the equipment in question was "brought many years agofrom intermediaries" and so it was impossible to name the countriesof origin.
Separately, Salehi also said Iran was ready to negotiate an IAEArequest that it sign an additional agreement throwing open itsnuclear programs to more intrusive inspections.
Salehi said the offer, made Monday, indicates "for the first time... that the government of Iran is ready to enter negotiations intothe additional protocol."
IAEA spokesman Mark Gwozdecky called Iran's overture "a positivestep."
Suspicion about Iran's nuclear program prompted Mohamed ElBaradei,director-general of the IAEA, to tour Iran's nuclear facilities inFebruary. AP
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