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TEHRAN, Iran – Iran's nuclear agency says it will conduct scientific studies for the construction of an experimental nuclear fusion reactor, an engineering challenge that no nation has yet overcome.

Iran is not known to have carried out anything but basic fusion research, and any advancement in a technology that is cleaner than existing nuclear power plants would be a significant achievement for an atomic program watched with concern by the U.S. and other world powers.

The official IRNA news agency says the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will hold a ceremony Saturday to begin the research.

The U.S. and some of its allies accuse Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to develop a nuclear weapons capability. Iran denies the accusation.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian nuclear scientist who returned home last week from the United States provided valuable information about the CIA, a semiofficial news agency reported Wednesday, adding that his spy's tale would be made into a TV movie.