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Canada accused Iran on Wednesday of “sanitizing” a sensitive military base to hide evidence from nuclear inspectors, in remarks that all but charge the Islamic republic with concealing a secret atomic weapons program.

In a statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, the Canadian representative described the “sanitization efforts” at Parchin, which Iran has cleaned up and sealed under asphalt since the IAEA asked to inspect it.

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“We ask Iran to explain how this behaviour can be seen as anything but an attempt to conceal past incriminating activities,” said Shawn Caza, Canada’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations nuclear agency.

The gathering of the IAEA’s 35-nation board of governors took place behind closed doors at the agency’s Austrian headquarters, but a copy of Mr. Caza’s prepared remarks was obtained by the National Post.

A source familiar with the talks said Canada and the United States were the strongest voices at the meeting of the board, which is chaired by a Canadian, Ambassador John Barrett, but that many other members shared the same concerns about Iran’s conduct.