The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in its latest report on Iranian nuclear issue that its inspectors have detected traces of up to 27 percent-purity enriched uranium in the country's Fordow nuclear fuel enrichment plant.

The purity level is higher than the 20 percent Tehran has said it is enriching. According to the report obtained by media on Friday, Iran indicated that the production of such particles "above the target value" may happen for technical reasons beyond the operator's control.

"The results of analysis of environmental samples taken at FFEP (the Fordow site) on February 15 showed the presence of particles with enrichment levels of up to 27 percent U-235," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in the quarterly restricted report prepared for the agency's boarding meeting scheduled for early next month.

The report said the Vienna-based UN nuclear watchdog is assessing Iran'explanation and has requested further details. The agency has also taken further environmental samples from the same location where the particles in question had been found and is analyzing the samples.

The Fordow nuclear plant has been built for producing up to 20 percent enriched uranium. The start of the nuclear work at the site has increased international concerns as the West suspects that Iran's uranium enrichment might be aimed at moving closer to the ability to make nuclear weapons.

In recent negotiations on Iran's disputed nuclear program, the West have demanded Iran close the Fordow site, an underground facility well protected against potential air strikes, and stop the production of 20-percent enriched uranium, according to media reports.

Iran has asked the world powers to recognize the legitimate rights of the country to pursue peaceful nuclear technology.

Some analysts believe that in order to ease crushing sanctions adopted by the West, Iran will maintain lower grade enrichment activities though it may show flexibility over the suspension its 20-percent uranium enrichment.

The latest round of talks to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue ended in Baghdad Thursday with a plan to hold fresh talks in Moscow next month.

During the Baghdad talks, representatives of Iran and the UN Security Council's five permanent members -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China -- plus Germany, known as P5+1, as well as the European Union (EU), held intensified negotiations aiming at defusing the long-running escalating crisis over Tehran's nuclear program.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said at the end of the meetings that both sides agreed to prepare a further meeting in Moscow on June 18-19.

The UN has by now imposed several rounds of sanctions against Tehran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce nuclear fuel or materials for bombs.

The EU, the United States and some other countries have imposed oil embargo as part of their sanctions to pressure Tehran into resuming talks on the country's nuclear program. They have also imposed tough banking sanctions aiming at limiting Iran's ability to sell oil, which accounts for 80 percent of its foreign revenues.

Xinhua