Iran willing to negotiate over nuclear dispute

Iran says it is willing to continue holding discussions to resolve an international stand-off over its nuclear programme amid international pressure on Tehran to halt its uranium enrichment.

Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Dr Ali Asghar Soltanieh, said: “The next negotiation will be in Moscow on February 16. There are still issues which we can discuss.”

Europe and the United States have so far dismissed the possibility of talks with Iran on its nuclear programme.

Soltanieh reiterated his country’s position that Tehran had always been in compliance with existing nuclear treaties and said its production of uranium enrichment remained suspended.

“The production of the fuel is still under suspension. The only thing that we have started under supervision of the IAEA is research.”

He also reiterated that if Iran was referred to the United Nations Security Council over the nuclear issue it would retaliate by ending its current suspension.

The West fears the nuclear programme will lead to nuclear weapons, though Iran insists it’s only for civilian use.