Report: Iran suspected of planning new nuclear sites

International agencies, inspectors and western intelligence officials believe Tehran is planning to build more nuclear enrichment sites in defiance of international demands, The New York Times reported late Saturday.

Quoting anonymous sources from several governments and international agencies, the Times reported that United Nations inspectors were looking for evidence of two such sites.

The Times reported that inspectors were tipped off by an interview given by Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, who told the Iranian Student News Agency in recent weeks that construction could start on two new enrichment sites after Iranian New Year on March 21.

US President Barack Obama in September revealed evidence of a hidden enrichment site at Qum.

The US, France and Britain are pushing Russia and China to back a new round of United Nations sanctions against Iran, which they suspect is developing nuclear weapons. The issue will be at the top of the agenda of foreign ministers from the G8 countries - US, Canada, Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Russia - in Ottawa Monday and Tuesday.


/Trend News/