The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Tehran

Iran accused the UN nuclear watchdog on Sunday of giving in to Western pressure in its latest report on the Iranian nuclear drive which struck a tougher tone.

"We were expecting more than this from the agency," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told reporters.

"If it was not for the pressure from one or two countries, the agency could have made a better report which would not have given any opportunity for some countries who are seeking pretexts to put pressure on us."

In its report, the International Atomic Energy Agency expressed "serious concern" that Iran was hiding information about alleged studies into making nuclear warheads as well as defying UN demands to suspend uranium enrichment.

Hosseini's remarks underline Iran's growing frustration with the IAEA after Western countries seized on the report to repeat their concerns about the contested nuclear programme.

The new speaker of parliament Ali Larijani, a former nuclear negotiator, has condemned the agency's attitude as "regrettable" and warned that Tehran will consider revising its cooperation should this continue.

Hosseini also protested the IAEA was "not acting on its commitments" by continuing to investigate a document which shows how to machine uranium metal into two hemispheres of the kind used in nuclear warheads.

Iran in November handed over the document to the agency, which had been demanding it for two years.