UN watchdog still hopes for nuclear talks with Iran

November 1, 2006 - 0:0
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -- Iran has yet to satisfy UN watchdogs that its nuclear program seeks only to produce electric power, the head of the UN nuclear agency told the General Assembly on Monday.

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said in his annual report to the 192-nation UN body that he remained hopeful that Iran ultimately would enter negotiations aimed at addressing both international fears about Iran's aims and Tehran's own worries about its security.

Tehran was ready for unconditional talks, Iran's deputy UN ambassador, Mehdi Danesh-Yazdi, told the assembly.

Iran "has demonstrated its readiness to resume negotiations without any preconditions with its counterparts, to ensure them of the peaceful nature of its nuclear program," he said.

Calls for talks have so far failed over European powers' demands that Tehran must first either suspend its enrichment-related programs or vow to do so once talks begin.