MOSCOW, Nov 17: International sanctions against Iran would be “unacceptable” as Tehran has been open about its nuclear programme, Russia’s atomic energy minister said in an interview published on Monday.

Alexander Rumyantsev said he hoped that the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, which on Thursday is to hold a key meeting on Iran, would “note the growing transparency and openness” of the Islamic republic.

“Sanctions are unacceptable as nothing has been discovered,” the Russian minister told the Vremya Novostei daily. “Iran has shown everything it has (in the nuclear field). It is hard to imagine Iran still has something to disclose.”

Iran, which is building its first nuclear power reactor with the assistance of Russia, is accused by the United States of using the atomic power project as a cover to develop nuclear weapons.

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) board of governors on Thursday will discuss a report on Iran’s nuclear activities by IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei.

In it, ElBaradei accuses Iran of covert nuclear activities over the past 20 years, including producing plutonium and enriching uranium, but says there is not yet evidence Tehran is trying to produce an atomic weapon.

European countries — which secured increased Iranian cooperation with the IAEA last month — are seen as more conciliatory towards Iran, but a hardline United States is pushing for Tehran to be reprimanded and taken to the UN Security Council as a warning.

Such a move could expose Iran to punishing sanctions by the United Nations.—AFP