BREAKING NEWS

Iran sets up UN nuclear watchdog visit, to give answers on IAEA probe

Iran has agreed to a visit by the UN nuclear watchdog this month to provide answers the watchdog and its 35-nation board have long called for on the origin of uranium particles found at three sites, a watchdog report on Thursday seen by Reuters said.

Iran has yet to provide new material, however, and its offer came before next week's quarterly meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors at which diplomats say they expect Western powers to push for a resolution calling on Iran to cooperate, a move that Tehran usually bristles at.

"The Agency has reiterated to Iran that at this meeting it expects to start receiving from Iran technically credible explanations on these issues, including access to locations and material, as well as the taking of samples as appropriate," one of two confidential IAEA reports on Iran sent to member states on Thursday ahead of the board meeting said.