Washington, Nov 12 (IANS): The US is expecting Iran to answer the "serious" questions raised by the recent IAEA report on Tehran's nuclear programme, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said.

Clinton made the remarks Friday during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, Xinhua reported.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report says Iran continued nuclear weapons research and technology development after 2003, even after declaring a halt in its nuclear programme.

Clinton said she and officials from the Asia-Pacific region discussed the IAEA report that raised "serious concerns about the weapon-related work the Iranian government has undertaken".

"The US will continue to consult closely with partners and allies on the next steps we can take to increase pressure on Iran," Clinton said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed deep concern over the alleged military nuclear programme in Iran, and called for a diplomatic solution, rather than a military one to the standoff with Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi has said the IAEA documents were "unfounded and baseless".

The US and its Western allies worry that Iran would use the uranium enrichment to make nuclear weapons, but Tehran has long insisted on the "peaceful" aspect of its nuclear programme.