Experts looking for signs of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons program have found traces of highly enriched uranium at a facility south of Tehran, a senior diplomat said, citing a report by the UN atomic agency.
Highly enriched uranium is a component of some nuclear warheads, and the find, cited in a report prepared for a top-level meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, heightened concerns about the nature of Iran's nuclear program.
Iranian officials cited in the report did not contest the finding at the Natanz nuclear facility by the IAEA inspectors, said the diplomat, who covers the activities of the UN nuclear watchdog and spoke on condition of anonymity. But the officials said the equipment already had traces of enriched uranium when purchased by Tehran, the diplomat said on Tuesday.
Asked about the report, Ali-Akbar Salehi, Tehran's ambassador to the IAEA, also said the equipment was "contaminated" with enriched uranium before it was purchased by Iran.
Salehi said that -- because the equipment in question was "brought many years ago from intermediaries" -- it was impossible to name the countries of origin.
Separately, Salehi also said Iran was ready to negotiate on an IAEA request that it sign an additional agreement throwing open its nuclear programs to more intrusive inspections.
While Iran is a member of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty meant to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, it has steadfastly resisted months of international pressure to sign an additional protocol allowing IAEA inspectors unfettered access to its nuclear activities.
Salehi said the offer, made on Monday in a letter to IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, indicates "for the first time ... that the government of Iran is ready to enter negotiations into the additional protocol."
He said talks would likely begin after two IAEA meetings next month.
He declined to detail the contents of the report but said that it shows that "Iran has been transparent and forthcoming" on its nuclear activities.
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