The UN nuclear agency insisted on Tuesday that Iran must address concerns about suspected bomb research, saying it was ready for talks and avoiding any mention of Tehran's allegation [1] that "terrorists" may have infiltrated the Vienna-based agency.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a statement on a meeting between IAEA chief Yukiya Amano and Iranian nuclear energy head Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani on Monday, which was held just hours after Abbasi-Davani sharply criticized the agency in a speech to its annual assembly.

Amano said it was essential for Iran to cooperate with his inspectors to clarify concerns about possible military dimensions to its nuclear program, a charge Tehran rejects.

He told Abbasi-Davani that the IAEA "is committed to continued dialogue with the Islamic Republic of Iran and expressed the readiness of agency negotiators to meet with Iran's in the near future", the statement said.

The UN agency has been seeking to resume a long-stalled investigation into Iran's atomic activities, but talks that began in January have made little headway.

In a sign of the depth of mistrust between Iran and the IAEA, Abbasi-Davani accused the UN agency of a "cynical approach" and mismanagement in his speech on Monday.

He said power... >>>