The International Atomic Energy Agency will include Iran's experimentation with polonium in a report to be submitted this week at the United Nations, two people familiar with the report told the daily.

Iran has submitted to IAEA inspections to show the world it does not have nuclear weapons ambitions, but its dabbling with polonium coupled with the IAEA's discovery of components for an advanced uranium-enrichment centrifuge have raised serious doubts about Tehran's forthrightness.

Iran has acknowledged the experiments with polonium but has offered an explanation involving another of polonium's possible uses, including power generation.

The IAEA has left the issue "hanging there," one person familiar with the matter told the Post.

He said the experiments took place "some time ago," the daily added.

Polonium has some industrial purposes, but in combination with beryllium it can be used to ensure the chain reaction leading to a nuclear explosion begins at the right time.

"It does heighten suspicions because polonium-210 is so linked to a certain type of neutron-initiator," David Albright, an expert on nuclear proliferation at the Institute for Science and International Security told the daily.

"But it's not an ideal neutron-initiator. It doesn't last long, so you've got to keep producing it."

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