"We have been following the question of Iran pretty closely and there's no doubt in our mind that Iran continues to pursue a nuclear weapons program," Armitage said in an interview with Washington's Salem Radio Network.

Earlier Thursday, US Under Secretary of State for Disarmament John Bolton made a similar comment in Berlin.

Iran has "not been fully forthcoming with their arrangement with the IAEA and we need to continue our effort, along with our European friends, to gain compliance," Armitage said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The IAEA said in Vienna Thursday it had found undeclared plans in Iran for a sophisticated model of a gas centrifuge, used to man nuclear material, after Teheran had promised to open all of its nuclear programs for IAEA inspection.

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said in Rome that his country had no plans for the development of nuclear weapons, and reaffirmed its willingness to cooperate with the IAEA.

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