WASHINGTON, Dec 22: The United States said on Monday that Pakistan’s decision to investigate some scientists for their possible link to Iran’s nuclear programme was reassuring.

“We’d certainly welcome Pakistan’s investigation and its debriefing of individuals who may have valuable information to convey,” said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.

The Pakistani decision, he said, was further indication of the priority that President Musharraf has placed on ensuring that Pakistan’s sensitive assets don’t fall into the wrong hands.

Mr Boucher said that the International Atomic Energy Agency was still investigating Iran’s efforts to make nuclear weapons and he would not want to comment before the IAEA submits its report.

The spokesman said that US government had contacted Pakistani officials on Monday as well and it “continues to accept the assurance” that President Musharraf had given to Secretary of State Colin Powell in October last year.

Mr Powell, he recalled, had had very specific conversations with President Musharraf who “assured us that Pakistan was not participating in any kind of activity of that nature.”

US media reported over the weekend that some scientists working for Pakistan’s nuclear projects had provided assistance to Iran’s efforts to build nuclear weapons.

The reports claimed that Iran has recently surrendered some documents to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, pointing out that Tehran had received assistance from Pakistani nuclear scientists.

Mr Boucher said that the United States has discussed previous allegations about Pakistan’s nuclear programme with the Pakistani official but was not holding the present government responsible for what happened in the past.