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VIENNA — Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met with UN atomic watchdog chief Yukiya Amano in Vienna on Sunday, but there appeared to be no immediate breakthrough on a stalled nuclear fuel deal.

International Atomic Energy Agency spokewoman Gill Tudor confirmed the meeting at which she said the two "discussed the issue of the provision of fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor and exchanged views on the possible modalities for its realisation."

"The meeting was held in a business-like atmosphere," Tudor added, without providing further details.

Under a deal brokered by the IAEA last October, Iran was to have sent its stock of low-enriched uranium to Russia and France for conversion into fuel for a research reactor in Tehran.

But the proposal became deadlocked following Iran's insistence that the exchange of the fuel be simultaneous and take place within the borders of the Islamic republic.

A source close to the negotiations told AFP that no deal was expected to be signed just yet.

"It's clear that no agreement is going to be signed today," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

After meeting Amano, Mottaki held separate talks with his Austrian counterpart Michael Spindelegger, where the two ministers also touched on the nuclear fuel deal, as well as other issues including human rights.

According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, Amano described the talks as "constructive," but said: "An agreemen... >>>