US diplomat accuses Iran of covering up work on nuclear weapons

A U.S. envoy has accused Iran of destroying evidence of a nuclear facility to cover up suspected weapons development.

"Iran has been taking measures that appear consistent with an effort to remove evidence of its past activities at Parchin," senior U.S. diplomat Robert Wood told the International Atomic Energy Agency’s governing board during a meeting Thursday, Reuters reports.

Western powers have long suspected that Iran is using its nuclear program to create atomic weapons, but Iran insists it’s for peaceful purposes.

The IAEA, which has made requests to Iran to inspect the Parchin site, believes it is being used to conduct explosive tests, Reuters reports.

At the meeting, the 35-nation board of the U.N. nuclear agency also overwhelmingly rebuked Iran for refusing to heed international demands that it take actions to diminish fears that it might be seeking atomic arms.

Only one country — Cuba — voted Thursday against a resolution drawn up by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. Ecuador, Tunisia and Egypt abstained, while the 31 other nations supported the resolution.

Iran has refused to comply with U.N. and IAEA demands to stop activities that could be used to make such weapons.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.