Higher-level traces of uranium found in Iran

CNN - Inspectors found uranium in Iran enriched up to 27%, a level that's higher than previous ones, a U.N. nuclear watchdog agency report said Friday.

The previous highest level had been 20%, typically used for hospital isotopes and research reactors, but is also seen as a short-cut toward the 90% enrichment required to build nuclear weapons.

The agency asked Iran this month to explain the presence of particles of enrichment levels of up to 27%, found in an analysis of environmental samples taken in February at the Fordo fuel enrichment plant near the city of Qom.

Iran said in response that the production of such particles "above the target value" may happen for "technical reasons beyond the operator's control."

The International Atomic Energy Agency said it is "assessing Iran's explanation and has requested further details."

This development comes a day after Iran held nuclear talks this week in Baghdad with six nations - the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany - over the program.

World powers suspect that Iran wants to build nuclear weapons, and they want to stop the nation from doing so. Iran says its atomic aspirations are for peaceful purposes.

There has been no breakthrough in discussions, but the nations plan to meet next month in Moscow for another round of talks.