Sunday, March 12 2006 14:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Iran has built a secret underground emergency command centre in the capital Tehran as its leaders prepare for a confrontation with the West over its controversial nuclear programme, a media report claimed here today(Mar 12,2006).

The complex of rooms and offices beneath the Abbas Abad district in the north of Tehran is designed to serve as a bolthole and headquarters for the country's rulers as military tensions mount, 'The Sunday Telegraph' reported.

It claimed that the recently completed command centre is connected by tunnels to other government compounds near the Mossala prayer ground, one of the city's most important religious sites.

Offices of the state security forces, the Energy Department and the Organisation of Islamic Culture and Communications are all located in the same area.

The construction of the complex is part of the regime's plan to move more of its operations beneath ground, the report said, adding the Revolutionary Guard has overseen the development of subterranean chambers and tunnels some more than half a mile long and an estimated 35-ft high and wide at sites across the country for research and development work on nuclear and rocket programmes.

According to the report, the opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) learnt about the complex from its contacts within the regime. The same network revealed in 2002 that Iran had been operating a secret nuclear programme for 18 years.

The underground strategy is partly designed to hide activities from satellite view and international inspections but also reflects a growing belief in Tehran that its showdown with the international community could end in air strikes by America or Israel, the report said.

"Iran's leaders are clearly preparing for a confrontation by going underground," said Alireza Jafarzadeh, the NCRI official who made the 2002 announcement.

America and Europe believe that Iran is secretly trying to acquire an atomic bomb, although the regime insists that its nuclear programme is for civilian energy purposes.

As the United Nations Security Council prepares to discuss Iran's nuclear operations this week, Tehran has been stepping up plans for confrontation. Its chief delegate on nuclear talks last week threatened that Iran would inflict 'harm and pain' on America if censured by the Security Council.