Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi Sunday asked Western countries not to meddle in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) affairs, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Qashqavi protested against the "false remarks recently made by a number of Western leaders on the country's peaceful nuclear program." He called on the West "to stop interference in the tasks and responsibilities of the UN nuclear watchdog," the report said.

"The western governments should have fulfilled their undertakings in connection with IAEA and taken real steps towards resolving global concerns through real dismantlement of their nuclear stockpile, instead of adopting superficial and controversial approaches," Qashqavi was quoted as saying.

"Iran's activities in using nuclear technology are completely transparent and are carried out within the framework of IAEA," said Qashqavi.

He added that "Iran has constructed the (new) nuclear fuel enrichment plant within the framework of its inalienable right to peacefully use the nuclear energy and in line with its efforts to diversify its energy resources to supply its growing needs."

Qashqavi's remarks followed some Western countries' outrage at a Friday announcement in Austria that Iran is constructing a new nuclear facility, its second uranium enrichment facility.

Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Chief Ali Akbar Salehi said Saturday that "We thought that our move (of announcing the construction of new establishments) would be appreciated, but the reaction of the West and their media was strange."

The five permanent UN Security Council member nations and Germany are set to meet with Iran next week to discuss the Middle Eastern state's uranium enrichment program.

The United States and other Western powers suspect the program aims to produce nuclear-weapon material, but Tehran contends that the program has no military component and has steadfastly rejected calls to halt the effort.

(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2009)