Asked to respond to the accusation made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday, International Atomic Energy Agency press officer Greg Webb said the IAEA would not comment directly on the leader's remarks.

But in an emailed reply, Webb insisted the IAEA "takes great care to protect the confidentiality of information it collects during all its safeguards activities."

Ahmadinejad in remarks on Iranian state television said world powers were against solving the controversy surrounding Iran's nuclear programme and accused the IAEA of "giving information" to Washington.

"Accepting the additional protocol means that all our nuclear activities must be under the supervision of the IAEA, which gives information to America," he said.

Relations between Tehran and the Vienna-based watchdog have deteriorated ever since Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano took over as director general just over a year ago, with Iran's envoy to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, becoming increasingly personal in his attacks.

The IAEA has been investigating Iran's controversial atomic drive, which Western countries believe is a covert effort to build a nuclear bomb, for eight years now.

Tehran vehemently rejects the accusation, insisting its nuclear activities are solely peaceful.

Nevertheless, in his latest report in September, Amano complained that the Islamic republic was hampering the agency's work by barring experienced inspectors.

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