Iran hails U.N. nuclear report as a victory

By Parisa Hafezi and Zahra Hosseinian

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Friday a U.N. nuclear watchdog report had shown its atomic programme was for peaceful purposes and called it a victory for the Islamic Republic.

In Vienna, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran's failure to clarify explosives and missile work relevant to the making of atomic bombs was a "serious concern" but that Tehran had been providing increased cooperation.

Western powers suspect Iran is seeking to build atomic bombs, but Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said the IAEA report was "another document which proves the Iranian nation was right about the nature" of its atomic programme.

"This report showed that our activities are peaceful," Jalili told a news conference in Tehran.

"I congratulate the Iranian nation for this success and victory which was a result of their resistance on (the country's) nuclear rights," he said. "From our viewpoint this issue has ended."

The IAEA said Iran was being more open with U.N. monitors than before but that Tehran was testing technology that could give it the means to enrich uranium much faster.

Iran was avoiding meaningful responses to intelligence pointing to covert efforts to "weaponise" nuclear work, it said.

MAJOR POWERS