Iran welcomed as a "step forward" a UN report on its nuclear activities

Iran on Friday welcomed as a "step forward" a UN report on its nuclear activities, saying it highlighted positive steps taken by Tehran towards "cooperation and transparency."

The report "repeated the very important message that no diversion in the nuclear activities has been seen," Iran's envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ali Asghar Soltanieh, told the official IRNA news agency.

"The report also contains new positive issues, including the steps that the Islamic Republic of Iran has taken towards cooperation and transparency," he said.

The UN atomic watchdog said in a confidential report, a copy of which was obtained by AFP on Friday, that it is "increasingly concerned about the possible existence in Iran of past or current undisclosed nuclear related activities involving military related organizations."

These included "activities related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile", according to the report, which is due to be discussed by the IAEA's 35-member board of governors at a September 12-16 meeting.

But Soltanieh said the report was "evidence of Iran's transparent and peaceful nuclear activities," IRNA reported.

"The report explicitly mentions Iran's cooperation in providing information and [efforts] to remove ambiguities and answer some questions," he said, adding it was "a step forward."

Soltanieh also dismissed demands for uranium enrichment suspension, saying Iran "has repeatedly proved according to international documents that such demands have no technical or lawful basis."