Annan fails to persuade Iran to halt nuclear work

UN chief Kofi Annan has won a pledge from Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to support a UN resolution bringing peace to Lebanon, but was warned Iran would not suspend sensitive nuclear work before negotiations on uranium enrichment.

After talks with the president yesterday, Mr Annan said that Mr Ahmadinejad assured him Tehran would support the implementation of the UN resolution that ended the fighting in Lebanon and was ready to negotiate over its nuclear programme.

He added Mr Ahmadinejad had agreed that Iran, which backs the Lebanese Shi’ite group, Hezbollah, would “do everything to support the territorial integrity of Lebanon and the independence of Lebanon”.