U.S., U.K. and France to accuse Iran of covert nuclear plant

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and the leaders of Britain and France will accuse Iran on Friday of concealing a covert nuclear plant, a senior White House official said.

Obama will go public with the charge when he makes a statement at 8:30 AM EDT/1:30 p.m. BST before G20 leaders meet in Pittsburgh, the official said.

It could step up pressure on Tehran just as the United States and five other world powers prepare for October 1 talks with Iran to discuss its disputed nuclear drive.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog said earlier on Friday that Iran has told it of a second uranium enrichment plant under construction, a belated disclosure sure to heighten Western fears of an Iranian bid for atom bombs.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had disclosed the existence of the plant to IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei on Monday.

(Reporting by Matt Spetalnick, editing by Howard Goller)