Un Watchdog Presses Iran Over Nuclear Deadlock

The head of the UN atomic watchdog has urged Iran to accept a deal over its nuclear programme by the end of the year, and "move beyond sanctions".

Iran says it has misgivings about the IAEA-brokered deal

Mohammed ElBaradei said the ball was "very much in the Iranian court".

He was speaking as the six major powers negotiating with Tehran were holding talks in Brussels.

They are discussing their response to Iran's rejection of a key part of a deal that would allow it to continue to develop a nuclear reactor.

A compromise suggested by Iran is likely to be rejected, correspondents say.

Friday's meeting involves the UN Security Council's permanent members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - plus Germany.

The West fears Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapons capacity. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for entirely peaceful purposes.

Mr ElBaradei - who is standing down as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 1 December - was speaking in Berlin.

"It is a unique opportunity to move from sanctions and confrontation to the process of building... trust," he said.

"I believe frankly the ball is very much in the Iranian court," he added. "I hope they will not miss this unique but fleeting opportunity."

'Clear message'

On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said his country had misgivings about the deal brokered by the IAEA

It envisages Iran sending about 70% of its low-enriched uranium to Russia and France, where it would be processed into fuel rods for a research reactor in Tehran.

Mr Mottaki suggested Iran would instead agree to exchange its uranium for an equivalent amount of nuclear fuel, but only on its own territory.

Tehran wanted to guarantee it would receive fuel it had contracted for, he said.

On Thursday US President Barack Obama said Washington and its partners would discuss "a package of potential steps" they could take if Iran snubbed a uranium enrichment deal.

Mr Obama said Iran needed to get a "clear message" that, if it failed to take advantage of such opportunities, it was "making itself less secure".

But Russia has said there is still "every chance" of reaching a deal with Iran on enrichment, and denied that it had been discussing further sanctions with Washington.

During Mr Obama's recent visit to China he received no assurances that Beijing would support new sanctions against Iran at the UN Security Council.

France and the UK want Iran to accept the deal.

The UN Security Council has called on Iran to stop uranium enrichment and has approved three rounds of sanctions so far - covering trade in nuclear material, as well as financial and travel restrictions.