THE UN nuclear watchdog yesterday inched towards reporting Iran to the UN Security Council over fears it secretly seeks atomic bombs but the agency’s chief said Tehran did not pose “an imminent threat”.

Iran upped the ante today in its nuclear stand-off with countries wanting to refer it to the UN Security Council, warning such action will lead to immediately forge ahead with developing a full-scale uranium enrichment programme.

Iran will immediately retaliate if referred to the UN Security Council next week by forging ahead with developing a full-scale uranium enrichment programme, Tehran’s senior envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency said today.