TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano have held talks in Vienna on a previously proposed nuclear fuel exchange deal and called the discussions constructive.

At the meeting, which was held at the United Nations headquarters in the Austrian capital on Sunday, Mottaki elaborated on Iran’s stance on the issue and said the nuclear fuel swap could help efforts to build trust.
“Given the circumstances, the IAEA and the director general can play a more constructive role at this point. We believe that the fuel exchange deal is a move that can build multilateral trust. It serves everyone’s interests,” he said.
He also pointed out that the IAEA bears the responsibility of obtaining nuclear fuel for the Tehran research reactor, adding that Iran is prepared to cooperate.
“The Islamic Republic, as always, is prepared to cooperate with the IAEA, and accepting the fuel exchange deal is a sign of Iran’s good faith and political resolve,” he stated.
He maintained that Iran’s nuclear activities have always been in compliance with international regulations but noted that the West has applied a double-standard approach toward Iran and has failed to fulfill its obligations.
Amano also described the meeting as constructive and added that the talks would continue until a final agreement is reached.
“The issue of the fuel swap was discussed, but there should not be any expectation of signing an agreement (now). The talks will continue,” he stated.
Mottaki also held talks with Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger on Sunday.
The Iranian foreign minister called the meetings friendly and said he was confident the discussions would produce good results.
“We are optimistic that the talks with the IAEA director general and a member of the UN Security Council, which can play a significant role with respect to the fuel exchange deal, will lead to an acceptable outcome,” he said.
Austria is currently one of the 10 non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
The U.S. government dismissed the meeting as a “bad idea,” the Austrian daily Der Standard reported.
Washington considers Spindelegger’s decision to hold talks with Mottaki a departure from the U.S.-led campaign to muster support to impose a fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program