IAEA chief hails Iran's 'positive' response to nuclear issues

Jul 18, 2007, 5:31 GMT

Kuala Lumpur - The head of UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday hailed Iran's 'positive' approach towards negotiations to reach a resolution to its nuclear power ambitions.

IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said he was optimistic that continued dialogue would lead to the resolution of outstanding issues related to Iran's controversial nuclear programme.

'Iran needs to continue to cooperate with the agency to clarify the scope and nature of its programme,' ElBaradei said at a press conference in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

'We are seeing at least a positive move on the part of Iran, but I hope that we will continue this because if we are able to clarify those outstanding issues in Iran, that clearly will make an attitude change in the attitude of the international community,' he said.

ElBaradei was referring to an agreement last week by Iran and the IAEA for renewed visits by the UN agency's inspectors to Iran's heavy-water reactor at Arak, which is currently under construction.

'I have always said the Iranian issue, like the North Korea issue, can only be resolved through dialogue and peaceful means and I obviously believe the use of force is absolutely counter-productive and will not resolve the issue.'

Following a meeting between ElBaradei and Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in Vienna in June, Iran vowed to draw up a work plan in order to resolve outstanding issues related to its nuclear programme.

Iran had also agreed on ways to resolve questions regarding plutonium experiments conducted by Iran in the past and Iran's uranium-enrichment programme.

ElBaradei said it was crucial for all parties to continue to be open and consistent in negotiations in order for progress to be made.

'We still have a number of outstanding issues that need to be clarified before we can provide assurance that the Iranian programme is exclusively peaceful,' he said in Kuala Lumpur.

Iran has maintained that its nuclear programmes are for power generation.

Teheran announced in 2006 that Iran would finish the Arak project as scheduled in 2009 with or without IAEA assistance, adding however that the UN nuclear watchdog would be fully aware of the activities in Arak.