Iran, IAEA talks to be continued

TEHRAN - The second round of talks between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA) concluded here on Tuesday and the two sides will hold more talks, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

The two-day talks between Iran and an IAEA delegation wrapped up in Tehran and the next round of the talks will be held for further cooperation, said the report without giving details.

Iran's permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali-Asghar Soltanieh confirmed to the official IRNA news agency that "The second round of talks between Iran and the IAEA delegation including Herman Nackaerts ... were held intensively in two days."

The talks between Iran and the IAEA were held behind closed doors in Tehran on February 20-21 and no details were released about the meeting.

The high-ranking IAEA delegation, headed by chief inspector Herman Nackaerts, arrived in Tehran on Monday for two-day talks on relevant issues of Iran's nuclear program.

The first round of such talks was held between the IAEA's high- level team and Iranian officials in January. ?

On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that the IAEA experts' visit to Tehran was for talks with Iranian officials, not for visiting the country's nuclear sites.

Referring to the members of the IAEA delegation as experts, not as investigators, Mehmanparast said that their report about the current talks with Iranian officials may affect the next round of negotiations on Iran's nuclear issue.

"Iran's cooperation with the agency (IAEA) is at its best level," he said.