Paris, Oct. 10 : International nuclear inspectors are investigating whether a Russian scientist helped Iran conduct complex experiments on how to detonate a nuclear weapon, The Telegraph quotes European and American officials, as saying.

As part of the investigation, International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors are seeking information from the scientist, who they believe acted on his own as an adviser on experiments described in a lengthy document obtained by the agency, the officials said.

The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is underway, said that the document appeared authentic, without explaining why.

But they made it clear that they did not think the scientist was working on behalf of Russia.

Still, it is the first time that the nuclear agency has suggested that Iran may have received help from a foreign weapons scientist in developing nuclear arms.

The American and European officials said the new document, written in Farsi, was part of an accumulation of evidence that Iran had worked toward developing a nuclear weapon, despite Iran''s claims that its atomic work over the past two decades has been aimed solely at producing electrical power.

The new document under investigation offers further evidence of such experiments, Western officials said.

Iranian officials maintain that the documents the agency is using in its investigation of Iran''s past nuclear activities are fabrications or forgeries, and that any experiments were not related to nuclear weapons. (ANI)