VIENNA, Oct 27: Talks between European and Iranian officials on Tehran's nuclear programme broke up here on Wednesday without apparent agreement but will resume , according to a member of the Iranian delegation.

"We're negotiating and we're trying to come to an agreement. The next meeting will be soon," said Sirus Naseri, in quotes translated from Persian by journalists who monitored the talks in Vienna. It followed a meeting behind closed doors at the French embassy in Vienna.

At that meeting, Iran was to respond to an offer by Britain, France and Germany, the European Union's three biggest countries, that would allow it to avoid potential UN sanctions and receive nuclear technology for indefinitely suspending uranium enrichment.

Diplomats said earlier that they saw little prospect of a breakthrough.

In Tehran, a senior official said late on Tuesday that Iran could take months to agree to the EU request because the offer was riddled with ambiguities and must be more balanced.

Iran had indicated earlier in the week that it was ready to consider the request, in what could be a major breakthrough towards ending a standoff over its nuclear programme, which the United States claims hides secret weapons development.

Under the European offer, Iran would receive valuable nuclear technology, including a light-water research reactor which would produce less fissionable material than the heavy-water reactor Tehran wants to build.

The deal also includes a recognition of Tehran's right to peaceful nuclear technology, measures to increase trade and backing of some of Iran's regional security concerns.-AFP