LONDON Ñ Iraq has arrested at least two nuclear researchers and enacted travel restrictions amid the defection of several leading scientists.

The measures were instituted soon after several nuclear and rocket scientists escaped Iraq over the past few months. One of them was Adel Ali Rahma, who fled on a forged passport in April.

Most of the scientists are believed hiding in the West in such countries as Britain, Germany and the United States. One leading rocket scientist is believed to have escaped to Iran. They have provided information on Iraq's nuclear and missile programs in the absence of United Nations inspections.

The London-based Al Hayat daily reported from Amman on Wednesday that Iraqi authorities have increased supervision and restrictions to prevent those working on military programs from traveling abroad. The restrictions focus on scientists from the Iraqi Atomic Energy Agency.

The newspaper said the new measures were launched last week. The measures prevent members from the atomic energy agency from traveling abroad without a security escort.

Several Iraqi scientists were also believed to have been killed in their escape attempt. The scientists, according to Iraqi opposition sources, were found dead soon after they resigned from the atomic energy agency.

In another development, the London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat reported on Thursday that hundreds of Russian-made tank transporters have arrived in Iraq over the past few weeks. They said the transporters were seen being unloaded in the port of Basra.

So far, the daily said, at least 200 Ural tank transporters have been unloaded. Witnesses in Basra were quoted as saying that Iraq plans to import 1,300 tank transporters from Russia.

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