Iran denies entry to 38 inspectors

Tehran: Iran has barred 38 members of a UN inspection team from entering the country but has admitted others, a senior official said.

The move appears to be retaliation for the UN sanctions imposed last month.

"The act of rejecting some inspectors is legal and in accordance with the agency's regulations,"Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN watchdog.

"The International Atomic Energy Agency submits a long list of inspectors to member countries and the countries have the right to oppose the visit by some inspectors,"Mottaki told the Islamic Republic News Agency.

At a time of rising tension between the West and Tehran, Revolutionary Guards on Monday launched war games in central Iran.

Two models of home-made missiles would be tested, state radio reported.

"In the four-day long missile war-games in Garmsar area, the Zelzal-1 and Fajr-5 missiles will be tested,"state radio quoted a Guards spokesman saying. Garmsar is a small city located 100km southeast of Tehran.

The Guards have in the past demonstrated and test fired many Iranian-made missiles.