Source:

October 11, 2010

BEIRUT: Iran’s atomic energy chief has acknowledged that Western spies have infiltrated the nuclear program, but said security had been tightened.

At the same time, the Foreign Minister flagged a possible resumption of nuclear talks with world powers.

Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organisation, said officials had increased security to make it ”almost impossible” for secrets to leak out, the pro-government Fars news agency said.

”The issue of spies existed in the past, but is diminishing day by day,” he said.

Mr Salehi’s statement was the most frank admission by an Iranian that Western clandestine services had succeeded in penetrating the nuclear program. The US suspects Tehran of pursuing nuclear weapons capability, which Iran denies.

Mr Salehi said the West had stepped up efforts ”to establish contact with experts” at his agency and ”lure them with promises of further study and better jobs abroad”.

He said information about the agency’s commercial affairs and international purchases had been leaked, but Iranian officials had countered the intelligence operations by tightening security procedures and improving ”privileges” for nuclear engineers who might be tempted by the fruits of the West.

”In the past, staff had easy access to information, but this is not the case any more,” he said.

The agency’s security department now regularly interviews staff members and has distributed pamphlets that describe espionage techniques, he said.

Tehran has also spoken of a resumption of nuclear talks.

”The end of October or early November is a good time for talks between Iran and five-plus-one,” the Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, said in Tehran on Saturday.

”The exact date, time and what level the talks should be held are being negotiated … once the details are finalised, they will be announced.”

Talks between Iran and Britain, China, France, Russia, the US and Germany have been deadlocked since October 1, 2009, when they met in Geneva.