TEHRAN, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Iran said on Saturday it has found new evidence suggesting "sabotage" was behind the presence of unexplained uranium traces at several of its sites, pushing back against a critical report from the UN's nuclear watchdog.

The statement from Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) was a direct response to a recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, which concluded Tehran had failed to provide credible explanations for the man-made uranium traces found at three undeclared locations.

In that report, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi accused Iran of providing "less than satisfactory" cooperation.

In its rebuttal, the AEOI said its security authorities had "discovered more clues... confirming that acts of sabotage or hostile actions" were responsible for the nuclear contamination. The organization asserted it had made "utmost efforts" to identify the source of the material.

Tehran also argued that the IAEA report itself contained no proof that its "peaceful" nuclear program had been diverted for military objectives. It added that there was "no credible evidence" that the outstanding issues carried any proliferation risk.

This dispute is unfolding as Iran and the United States are engaged in indirect talks, mediated by Oman, focused on the future of Tehran's nuclear program and the potential lifting of U.S. sanctions. ■