The United States is dismissing Iran's suggestion that the International Atomic Energy's case against it is nearly closed. It says Iranian nuclear activity should remain under close watch "for the foreseeable future."

The comments, from the State Department, follow the release at the IAEA in Vienna Tuesday of a report by the U.N. agency's director-general, Mohammed ElBaradei, which says that important issues about Iran's nuclear program remain unresolved.

The IAEA report, circulated in advance of a meeting this month of its 35-nation governing board, credits Iran with providing new information about its nuclear efforts. But it also cites a wide array of missing details and contradictory explanations of its activities, including acquisition of uranium-enriching centrifuges.

Iranian officials, who say their nuclear program is entirely peaceful, said the report shows that only minor questions remain and that the IAEA probe should be nearing an end.