IAEA says Iran is blocking its work

VIENNA, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- The banning of two U.N. inspectors and limits on inspections make verifying the intent of Iran's nuclear program difficult, a U.N. nuclear watchdog said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, in an 11-page report to member states, said Iran was holding back information related to its nuclear program after barring two U.N. inspectors from doing their work, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Iran last month started work at its Bushehr nuclear power plant with the help of Russian companies. Tehran said its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, though Washington and its allies maintain Iran is working on the technology needed to develop a nuclear weapon.

P.J. Crowley, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, said the IAEA report confirms Washington's concerns.

"The report reaffirms the concerns we've had about enrichment all along and again shows that Iran continues to not cooperate with the IAEA," he said.

Iran said it banned the U.N. representatives because they made erroneous statements about the nuclear program.

The latest IAEA report comes ahead of a conference for the agency's board of governors, which is scheduled for this month.