Iran 'ready to resume nuclear talks'

Iran said today it was ready to resume talks about its nuclear programme with the international community within a matter of weeks.

“From our point of view October or November is a good time for the re-establishment of negotiations,” Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said.

He spoke to reporters as he arrived in Brussels for a meeting of the so-called Friends of Democratic Pakistan group, formed two years ago to support the country’s moves toward democracy. Participants are discussing increased aid to Islamabad in the aftermath of the devastation caused by this summer’s floods.

Yesterday, Baroness Ashton, the EU security and foreign affairs chief suggested the talks on Iran’s nuclear programme be held in Vienna “over three days in mid-November,” with the participation of the United States, Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany.

She issued the statement soon after meeting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Iran insists it want to enrich uranium only to make fuel for a planned reactor network and denies accusations that it will use the programme to make fissile warhead material.

But many in the international community suspect the civilian programme is a cover for a military one.

So far, the UN Security Council has adopted four sets of sanctions meant to pressure Tehran into freezing enrichment.