Iran's atomic future

Iran's envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has made it clear that any talks with world leaders would not address Iran's nuclear program, according to the website of al-Alam, a state-run television station.

Ali Ashgar Soltanieh's comments came a day after a meeting of the United Nations Security Council near Frankfurt, where world powers pressured Iran to accept face to face talks regarding Iran's nuclear plans.

In addition to the five permanent UN Security Council members, Germany was also represented at the meeting. The six nations are hoping to make progress on the issue before a meeting of the UN General Assembly meeting later this month. Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has announced he will be attending the meeting in New York.

Mixed signals from Iran

Earlier this week, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili issued a statement saying Iran was ready to talk to world powers about an updated nuclear proposal for the country. The United States and European Union claim they received no official notification on any new proposals, and on Thursday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi told Iran's official news agency IRNA that talks would only be conducted with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"They (the six world powers) must understand that the Iranian nation and government will not surrender to pressures. It will go ahead with its program based on international regulations," he said.

Last week, a report issued by the IAEA indicated that Iran has continued to be unresponsive to the UN Security Council's demands and that it refuses to cooperate with IAEA investigators.

mz/Reuters/AFP/dpa
Editor: Nancy Isenson