IAEA deputy chief arrives in Iran for nuclear talks

TEHRAN, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The deputy chief of UN nuclear agency arrived in Tehran early Monday morning for the talks with Iranian officials on Tehran's nuclear program, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Olli Heinonen, leading a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is on a two-day visit to the Islamic Republic to hold talks with the Iranian officials on the allegations that Iran is running a secret nuclear weapon program, according to IRNA.

The objective of Heinonen's visit is to discuss "the progress of Iran-IAEA cooperation", an official was quoted as saying.

Heinonen did not reject the discussion may focus on the "weapon allegations." However, Iran persistently dismisses the allegations as fabricated and being flared by the U.S.

The IAEA inspectors and an Iranian team headed by Deputy Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council for International Affairs Javad Vaeedi is due to discuss the current state of affairs.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad-Ali Hosseini, said Sunday that Heinonen's visit to Iran will be an ordinary visit taking place within the framework of Iran-IAEA cooperation.

The Western countries have accused Iran of developing atomic bombs under s civilian cover and demanded a suspension of the sensitive uranium enrichment work. But Iran persistently rejects the halt, saying that it is just for peaceful use.

After several rounds of checks in the past years, the IAEA still cannot determine whether Iran's nuclear program is just for peaceful use or not.

In an encouraging attempt, the world powers are considering another package of incentives to persuade Iran to stop its uranium enrichment program.

However, the high ranking officials of Tehran have ruled out the consideration of the offer by the world powers in case it dose not include the right to enjoy the enrichment program.

BERLIN, April 17 (Xinhua) -- UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohammed ElBaradei on Thursday called here for more dialogue between the international community and Iran on the country's nuclear issue.

ElBaradei, general secretary of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), made the call after a meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin on Thursday. Full story

TEHRAN, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said on Monday that Tehran would continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the state-run Press TV channel reported.

Iran "will continue to work with the IAEA and to conduct its nuclear activities within the framework of the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and international regulations," Hosseini was quoted as saying at his weekly press briefing. Full story

TEHRAN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that his country would no longer negotiate over its nuclear issue outside the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the official IRNA news agency reported.

"From now on, Iran's peaceful nuclear program will be discussed only at the International Atomic Energy Agency within the framework of the NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) regulations and mutual commitments," IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.