IRAN:In Tehran yesterday the head of the UN nuclear watchdog called for swifter co-operation in resolving questions about Iran's atomic activity, which the West fears will be used to produce atomic bombs.
"I discussed with [ Iran's atomic energy chief, Gholamreza Aghazadeh] how we can work together to accelerate the pace of our co-operation to clarify all outstanding issues before my report in March," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei said.
He said the start of his talks were "frank and friendly".
"I asked Mr Gholamreza Aghazadeh to give us maximum transparency and provide assurances about all present nuclear activities," said Dr ElBaradei.
"If we are able to clarify past and current activities, it will provide an atmosphere to overcome the standoff between the P5+1 and Iran," he added, referring to the six world powers who sponsored UN sanctions to curb Iran's nuclear programme.
Dr ElBaradei meets Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili today. He returns to Vienna tomorrow.
Mr Aghazadeh said the IAEA could be assured of full co-operation. He added that there would be "an extremely important exchange of information" during Dr ElBaradei's meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei.
The Vienna-based IAEA has long sought to verify that Iran's uranium enrichment programme is geared solely to producing civilian energy.
Mr Aghazadeh called the first talks "very good and comprehensive", and predicted that Dr ElBaradei would be able to give a final report on its four-year-old Iran inquiry to the agency's 35-nation board of governors in March.