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Tehran: A high-ranking delegation from the UN's nuclear agency arrived here yesterday for talks with Iran on the country's disputed nuclear programme, state media reported.
The discussions are the latest attempt by the International Atomic Energy Agency to address outstanding questions on a programme that many Western countries believe is cover for weapons development, but Iran insists is focused on power generation.
"The talks will be technical and take two to three days" the official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Iran's envoy to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, as saying.
IAEA Deputy Director-General Olli Heinonen is leading the UN delegation, said IRNA.
Soltanieh said the negotiations would be a continuation of the four previous rounds of talks between Iran and the IAEA, three of which were held in Tehran and one in Vienna where the IAEA is based.
Agenda
During those meetings, Tehran expressed a willingness to answer outstanding questions related to its nuclear programme but continued to refuse to suspend uranium enrichment as demanded by the UN. The United States and some of its allies fear Iran is simply trying to reduce international pressure while continuing its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
On Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hussaini said the agenda for the current talks would include P-1 and P-2 centrifuge machines, which can enrich uranium for either nuclear fuel or weapons. P-2 centrifuges are more sophisticated, consuming less electricity and producing more enriched uranium.
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