Iran's top nuclear official Hassan Rowhani talks to the press in Tehran, Nov. 14, 2004. Iran has agreed to suspend almost all of its activities related to uranium enrichment as a result of prolonged talks with the European Union (EU). The UN nuclear watchdog said Monday it had found no proof of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons program £¨Xinhua/AFP photo)

VIENNA, Nov. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- The UN nuclear watchdog said Monday it had found no proof of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons program but could not yet conclude there was no covert activity.

    "All the declared nuclear material in Iran has been accounted for, and therefore such material is not diverted to prohibited activities (such as weapons). The Agency is, however, not yet in aposition to conclude that there are no undeclared nuclear materials or activities in Iran," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report.

    "The Agency's legal authority to pursue the verification of possible nuclear weapons-related activity is limited," it said.

    The report said the IAEA is still investigating Iran's efforts to acquire equipment that could have been used in uranium enrichment.

    Iran allowed IAEA inspectors to visit the Lavizan military sitein Tehran, it said. However, it said the IAEA had requested to visit the military complex of Parchin, 30 km southeast of Tehran, "in order to provide assurance regarding the absence of undeclarednuclear material and activities at that site" but was still waiting for permission to go there.

    Iran has denied carrying out any nuclear-related work at Parchin, but the United States suspected the site was used for developing nuclear weapons.

    Iran's pledge to suspend uranium enrichment activities was alsomentioned in the report to the IAEA's 35-nation board of governorsthat will meet in Vienna on Nov. 25 to decide whether to send Iranto the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

    The report, quoting an official letter sent by Iran to the IAEAon Sunday in which Tehran agreed to suspend uranium enrichment activities, confirmed that Iran had invited it to verify the suspension as of Nov. 22.

    This leaves IAEA inspectors only three days before the board meeting to verify Iran's suspension.

    The IAEA report was issued after Iran agreed in a deal with Britain, France and Germany to suspend uranium enrichment activities.

    The three European countries, representing the 25-member EuropeUnion (EU), had hoped to persuade Iran to cease its activities related to uranium enrichment in exchange for a nuclear cooperation with the EU.

    The United States claims Tehran is secretly developing nuclear weapons and wants the matter brought before the UN Security Council.

    The IAEA has been investigating Iran's nuclear program for morethan two years. The board of governors of the IAEA approved a resolution on Sept. 18 demanding that Tehran suspend all activities related to uranium enrichment and clarify all pending nuclear program issues before the nuclear watchdog's meeting on Nov. 25. Enditem