TEHRAN - Iran's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali-Asghar Soltanieh criticized Western media "attempts to politicize a normal technical issue" in the latest IAEA report on Tehran's "nuclear energy program", Iran's Press TV reported on Saturday.

According to a report obtained by media on Friday, the IAEA said in its latest report on Iranian nuclear issue that its inspectors have detected traces of up to 27-percent-purity enriched uranium in the country's Fordow nuclear fuel enrichment plant.

According to the report, Iran indicated that the production of such particles "above the target value" may happen for technical reasons beyond the operator's control.

"The results of analysis of environmental samples taken at FFEP (the Fordow site) on Feb 15 showed the presence of particles with enrichment levels of up to 27 percent U-235," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said on Friday in the quarterly restricted report prepared for the agency's boarding meeting scheduled for early next month.

The report said the Vienna-based UN nuclear watchdog is assessing Iran's explanation and has requested further details. The agency has also taken further environmental samples from the same location where the particles in question have been found and is analyzing the samples.

The Fordow nuclear plant has been built for producing up to 20 percent enriched uranium. The start of the nuclear work at the site has increased international concerns as the West suspects that Iran's uranium enrichment might be aimed at moving closer to the ability to make nuclear weapons.

In recent negotiations on Iran's disputed nuclear program, the West have demanded Iran close the Fordow site, an underground facility well protected against potential air strikes, and stop the production of 20-percent enriched uranium, according to media reports.

Soltanieh on Saturday criticized western media hype and said " as mentioned in the IAEA report, the issue is a normal technical subject that is being investigated by experts," said Press TV.

Soltanieh said that western media pursue certain "political objectives" by addressing "minor technical issues" that are common in the nuclear facilities of other countries too.

"Highlighting and politicizing a technical issue indicates certain efforts to sully the atmosphere of constructive cooperation between Iran and the IAEA," he was quoted as saying.

The Iranian envoy said that the IAEA report once again proved the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities, according to Press TV.

The report also confirms that Iran's nuclear activities, in particular the uranium enrichment, are being carried out successfully, without any interruption and under the IAEA supervision, Press TV reported Soltanieh as saying.