Iran denies nuclear test help from by North Korea

MOSCOW, Jan 31 (Reuters) Iran, accused by some Western nations of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, today denied a British newspaper report that North Korea was giving it technical help to fulfil its ambition.

The UN Security Council voted to ban military supplies and weapons shipments to North Korea after Pyongyang carried out its first nuclear test in October.

The Iranian Embassy in Moscow said in a statement there were no secret nuclear contacts between the two countries.

''The Islamic Republic of Iran denied rumours of cooperation between North Korea and Iran on holding nuclear tests,'' it said.

Iran has in the past used its embassy in Moscow, a key political and trading ally, to make global policy statements.

Britain's The Daily Telegraph cited sources earlier this month as saying North Korea was helping Iran prepare an underground nuclear test similar to the one Pyongyang carried out.

The Security Council has also passed a resolution imposing limited sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend its nuclear enrichment programme, which the United States and others in the West fear will be used to develop atomic bombs.

Iran says its programme is peaceful.

''The transparency of Iran's activities in the nuclear field has been repeatedly proved to the International Atomic Energy Agency,'' the embassy statement said.

North Korea has also denied nuclear contacts with Iran.

Russia has helped Iran build its first nuclear power station near the port of Bushehr and has defended Iran's stance that its nuclear ambitions are purely civilian.

REUTERS BDP VC1932