VIENNA, Sept 26: A UN nuclear monitoring mission to Iran was postponed for a week on Friday to give Tehran more time to prepare for the visit aimed at pressing it to come clean on its alleged nuclear weapons programme by an Oct 31 deadline.

The nuclear inspectors were scheduled to leave Vienna on Sunday, but a spokeswoman for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the visit would now start at the end of next week.

“The Iranian government requested the delay to allow them more time to prepare for the visit,” said IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming.

The IAEA earlier this month gave Iran until Oct 31 to answer all the agency’s questions concerning allegations that it is seeking to develop atomic weapons.

The delay was announced a day after it was revealed that International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors had last month discovered more traces of highly enriched uranium in Iran.—AFP