UNITED NATIONS, Feb 7: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday expressed hope that Tehran would resume talks on the nuclear issue ahead of the report being prepared by the head of International Atomic Agency for the UN Security Council.

On Saturday, the Vienna-based IAEA Board of Governors adopted a resolution calling for Iran to renew its suspension of uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities, which Tehran ended last month, and to take other steps relating to nuclear ambitions.

By asking IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei to report on the matter to the Security Council, the Board moved the issue for the first time to the 15-member body. Iran was requested to “extend full and prompt cooperation to the Agency, which the Director-General deems indispensable and overdue, and in particular to help the Agency clarify possible activities which could have a military nuclear dimension”.

Commenting on this development in remarks to reporters at a press briefing in Dubai, Mr Annan said that Mr ElBaradei’s report was expected by the end of the month.

The IAEA Board’s resolution passed by a vote of 27 in favour, with three against — Cuba, Syria and Venezuela — and five abstentions — Algeria, Belarus, Indonesia, Libya and South Africa.