FACTBOX-IAEA key points on second Iran enrichment site

VIENNA, Nov 16 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Monday that Iran's late admission to a second uranium enrichment plant had eroded confidence that it was not harbouring more secret activity, and Iran had yet to convincingly rule this out. Following are key excerpts from a new International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report (www.isis-online.org/) dealing with initial inspector findings at the nascent Fordow Fuel Enrichment Centre, which Iran says will go into operation in 2011:

* IAEA inspectors paid their first visit to the site, 20 km (12 miles) north of the holy city of Qom, on Oct. 26-27 to verify design data provided by Iran. They confirmed it was designed to run with 3,000 centrifuges, with Iran saying the machines may be a more advanced type than it has used before. These could enrich uranium two to three times faster than Iran has done so far, experts say.

* Inspectors combed the entire plant site, taking photos of equipment like piping for centrifuges. Production equipment had not been connected and no centrifuges were present. Some of the equipment had been transferred from its much larger Natanz enrichment complex. Inspectors took environmental swipe samples to check for possible traces of undeclared nuclear material. Iran told the IAEA the plant would go into operation in 2011.

* The IAEA told Iran the site would henceforth be subject to regular inspections, with the next one at the end of this month.

* Iran explained in a letter that construction began in the second half of 2007 as one of a number of "contingency centres" because of increasing threats of military attack on its known nuclear sites, especially Natanz. If this happened, Iran could preserve enrichment activity at Fordow, the letter said.

* But inspectors told the Iranians in meetings that the IAEA had satellite pictures and other intelligence showing construction there began in 2002, paused in 2004, and resumed in 2006. Iran reported the plant to the IAEA two months ago.

* The IAEA "still has questions about the purpose for which the facility had been intended and how it fit into Iran's nuclear programme. The Agency also indicated that Iran's declaration of the new facility reduces the level of confidence in the absence of other nuclear facilities under construction and gives rise to questions about whether there were any other nuclear facilities ... not declared to the Agency".

* So the IAEA has requested access to the site's project manager and "original design documentation, such as engineering drawings, with a view to confirming Iran's statements regarding the chronology and purpose of the facility".