UN, Iranian nuclear chiefs meet in Tehran

The IAEA chief and Iranian nuclear officials have been talking about ways to end the standoff between Iran and the UN Security Council.
The IAEA chief and Iranian nuclear officials havebeen talking about ways to end the standoff betweenIran and the UN Security Council.(CCTV.com)

Mohammed Elbaradei's visit to Tehran is critical to a report that was supposed to be wrapped up by December, but was apparently postponed till March at Tehran's request.

Elbaradei said he has asked the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, for better transparency and assurances.

Mohammed Elbaradei, IAEA chief, said, "I think if we are able to clarify all the past activities and also have a good grasp of present nuclear activities that will facilitate building confidence about Iran's future nuclear activities."

The talks come at a time when international concerns over Iran's program have mellowed in the wake of a US intelligence report last month.

It concluded Iran had stopped its nuclear weapons program in late 2003 and had not resumed it since.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei,center, addresses the media, as Vice President and head ofIran's Atomic Energy Organization, Gholam Reza
Aghazadeh,right, and Iran's envoy to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh,left, look on, following their meeting in Tehran, Iran,Friday, Jan. 11, 2008. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

In November, an IAEA report said Iran had been truthful about its past uranium enrichment activities.

Aghazadeh expressed confidence that the IAEA will be able to submit its final report in March.

He also said Iran will continue its cooperation with the IAEA to resolve all outstanding issues completely.