UN wants Washington to explain claim it spied on talks

The United Nations will approach Washington over a report by a German magazine that US intelligence spied on video conferences by top UN officials.

"We are aware of the reports, and we intend to be in touch with the relevant authorities on this," spokesman Farhan Haq, said, adding that this meant the US administration.

Haq said the 1961 Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations had become "well established international law, therefore member states are expected to act accordingly to protect the inviolability of diplomatic missions".

A report by Der Spiegel magazine said the US National Security Agency had broken the encryption code to allow US intelligence to listen in to UN video conferences.

The measure also involved the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency, the report said quoting NSA documents. The IAEA has played a key role monitoring Iran's suspect nuclear program.