Vienna: The head of the UN nuclear
monitoring agency is calling for talks between Iran and the US
and cautioning against the use of force to resolve
international disagreements.
The comments by International Atomic Energy Agency chief
Mohamed ElBaradei follow a decision by Washington and five
other world powers to accept an Iranian offer of talks, even
though Tehran says they will not focus on its nuclear program.
ElBaradei spoke today at the start of the 150-nation IAEA
General Conference.
President Barack Obama and European allies had given Iran
until the end of September to take up an offer of nuclear
talks with six world powers and trade incentives should it
suspend uranium enrichment activities. If not, Iran could face
harsher punitive sanctions.
Israel and the US both have indicated that force could be
considered as a last option against Iran unless it ends its
nuclear defiance of the UN Security Council.
Bureau Report
