Iran: Nuclear negotiators always cautious of spies

Iranian negotiators have always been cautious about the risk of spying during talks with world powers about its nuclear programme, a member of the country's negotiating team said Thursday.

The Swiss and Austrian authorities said Thursday their investigators had launched probes into alleged spying in hotels hosting the delicate talks on Iran's nuclear programme.

A computer worm designed to gather foreign intelligence at the talks was linked to Iran's arch-foe Israel, which has denied its secret services were involved.

"The Iranian negotiators have always taken account of the possibility and the significant risk of listening and spying and have always acted with caution" during the talks, said a member of the country's negotiating team, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

"The negotiations have enemies who deploy all means," said the official who was not identified in the report.

"During the negotiations we have always made efforts to preserve secrecy, and I must say that we have succeeded in doing so."

Switzerland and Austria have hosted numerous rounds of talks on Iran's nuclear programme.

The spying revelations come in the run-up to a June 30 deadline for a historic agreement on curtailing Iran's nuclear programme in return for relief from punishing sanctions.

Israel is vehemently opposed to such a deal.