Iran says it has right to vet UN nuclear inspectors

TEHERAN - Iran has asserted its rights to vet inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) after claims by the UN watchdog group that its monitoring of nuclear facilities has been hampered by Tehran's exclusion of some of its staff.

"We have this right ... to change the inspectors as per their record," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters on Tuesday.

The Vienna-based IAEA in a new report released on Monday said Iran was complicating a long-running investigation into its controversial nuclear drive by vetoing the nomination of certain inspectors.