WASHINGTON, June 17: The United States has rejected an Iranian offer to give more authority to nuclear inspectors in return for access to nuclear technology.

The US government also has declared that it would continue to “express support” for the Iranian students protesting against the government in Tehran.

In another development, a US senator, Sam Brownback has introduced legislation for setting up a fund that would help these students.

Commenting on the Iranian offer to give more authority to inspectors in return for nuclear technology, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told a daily briefing: “That’s a non-starter. It’s not a bargaining point. It’s a point of living up to international standards that everybody else feels comfortable living up to.”

He said virtually every country has accepted these additional protocols of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which allow inspectors to visit nuclear facilities. “There are very, very few exceptions, one of which is Iran.”

The spokesman said the United States believes that Iran is using its civilian programme as cover for other activities and now a report by the IAEA director general has confirmed that Iran has “a full cycle nuclear programme.”

Mr. Boucher said it would be appropriate for the IAEA board of governors, which is discussing the issue in Vienna this week, to call on Iran to answer all the outstanding questions about that programme, and, indeed, sign and implement without any delay the additional protocols.

The spokesman said that he had seen reports saying that Iran was buying missiles from North Korea but was not yet in a position to comment on these reports.