In an interview with Iran's official Fars news agency, Salehi did not
detail defections or the transfer of classified information by nuclear
personnel. He said the government ended the leaks by increasing security as
well as employee salaries.
"[Nuclear] personnel had access to data in the past, but it is not so
today," Salehi said on Oct. 9. "We don't have any crucial or secret issue,
but there is no need for all the personnel to have access to all our data
and information."
Salehi did not identify the foreign intelligence agencies that
penetrated Iran's nuclear program. Over the last three years, Teheran has
complained that Israeli and U.S. intelligence agencies were luring Iranian
nuclear engineers and scientists out of the country and sometimes held them
against their will.
"When they come under pressure, Western countries resort to different
methods to create problems for Iran in the field of nuclear technology, and
one of the old techniques which is now increasingly used by them is
establishing contact with AEOI [Atomic Energy Organization of Iran] experts
to lure them into other countries for a better job opportunity," Salehi said
during a visit to Fars.
Iran has asserted that at least four Iranian nuclear scientists or
operatives were being held in the West. Officials cited Amir Hussein
Ardebili, held in the United States since 2007; Nasrallah Tajik, arrested in
Britain; former Deputy Defense Minister Ali Reza Asgari; and Shahram Amiri,
who disappeared in 2009 and was released by the United States in July 2010.
Amiri later returned to Teheran. Officials said Iranian nuclear
personnel have been trained to resist recruitment by foreign intelligence
agencies.
"Our colleagues were awakened," Salehi said. "The personnel and managers
have all reached the conclusion that this is a national issue and that we
should resolve our problems among ourselves."
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