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VIENNA, Aug 26: Iran’s top nuclear negotiator met the head of the UN atomic watchdog on Friday after announcing a plan to head off European Union preparations to refer Iran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.
The EU has held two years of talks with Iran to persuade it to abandon sensitive atomic work that both the 25-nation bloc. But the talks appeared close to collapse after Iran resumed uranium conversion work this month, prompting the EU to cancel an Aug 31 meeting. Frustrated by Iran’s refusal to stop its work, the EU is now preparing the road to possible sanctions.
The visit by Iran’s top negotiator Ali Larijani to International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei in Vienna appeared to be an attempt to forestall the EU’s efforts.
ElBaradei is due to report on Iran’s activities on Sept 3.
Larijani said on Thursday Iran was finalising a new plan which would include broadening negotiations to involve nations outside the current trio of Britain, France and Germany which have so far represented the European Union in talks.
NEW INITIATIVE: Larijani said he regretted the EU3’s decision to cancel their Aug 31 meeting and said the trio should adopt a “logical approach of mutual interest instead of making obstacles”.
He said questions had been raised inside Iran and by allies on why talks were being carried out solely with the EU trio.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council spokesman said broadening the nuclear talks to include other countries was part of a new initiative by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The initiative would also encompass plans for resuming other parts of Iran’s nuclear programme, currently suspended under an agreement with the EU3 made in Paris last November.—Reuters
