The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, on Tuesday criticized the West's "baseless" accusations against Iran's "peaceful" nuclear program.

An Islamist made the remarks in a speech at a ceremony in the Iranian capital, Tehran, during which he pledged that the IAEA was determined to eliminate the Western "hype" surrounding Iran's nuclear program, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Eslami said that while some countries have gained technology and nuclear capacity through spending money, Iran has achieved its "high status" through the efforts of local experts.

He added that the agency sought during his tenure to present those aspects of Iran's nuclear energy that could be effective in improving people's lives and making its effects more realistic.

In this regard, Islami indicated that his country has made private investments in this field, including the preparation of a strategic document that defines the agency's vision for 20 years, in addition to the movement and plan-based approach in the nuclear sector.

He stressed that the agency seeks to expand its research and industrial capabilities.

Last November, the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors issued a resolution urging Iran to cooperate with the agency's investigators regarding "uranium traces" that were found at "three undeclared Iranian sites."

During a visit to Iran by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in early March, the two sides reached an agreement on increasing interactions between Iran on the basis of cooperation and enhancing openness to IAEA inspections.