Pakistan yesterday announ-ced it had decided to hand over components of used nuclear centrifuges to the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA], the UN's main nuclear watchdog, helping to move forward a crucial investigation into Iran's nuclear programme.

Confirmation of Pakistan's agreement to the IAEA's request for centrifuge components followed last week's revelation by General Pervez Musharraf, the military ruler, that such an arrangement was being actively considered.