Asserting that he was not even remotely involved in any programme with Iran, nuclear scientist Ch Surender on Friday said he will take up the matter of sanctions imposed against him by the United States with the Department of Atomic Energy and the External Affairs Ministry.

"The matter is very serious as I was not involved in any programme, even remotely with Iran and in fact never even flown over Iran," the former chairman and managing director of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited told PTI.

The US State Department on Wednesday imposed sanctions on him and Dr Y S R Prasad, another former CMD of NPCIL, for allegedly providing sensitive technology or equipment to Iran.

"It is a serious matter where an Indian scientist is maligned by the US State Department, I will be taking up the issue with the DAE and MEA immediately," he said. "The State Department has no right to spoil the peaceful life of a retired Indian nuclear scientist," Ch Surender said.

Prasad, who was working on a Russian nuclear power project in Iran after his retirement, said, "There is a mistake -- total mistake. There is no reason for imposing any sanction."

Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Dr Anil Kakodkar said what the US State Department has done was "totally unjustified."