Iran-EU nuclear talks 'positive' but no accord

BERLIN (AFP) - Talks between Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana have failed to produce an accord but were positive and constructive, both men said Thursday.

"It has been a long, constructive negotiation," Larijani told reporters at the end of two days of meetings in the German capital.

"We have been able to arrive at some positive conclusions," he said Thursday.

"Today we have discussed modalities with the aim of coming back to the main negotiations as soon as possible."

In a businesslike press conference, Solana told reporters: "We have been progressing. We will have a new contact in the middle of next week."

Sources close to the talks said the contact could take place over the phone and did not necessarily mean they would be meeting face to face.

Larijani was to hold talks with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier later on Thursday at the request of Solana.

The talks in Berlin were the first time Solana and Larijani had met for more than two weeks.

During that time European diplomats have tried to ratchet up the pressure by warning that time is running out for Iran to agree to UN Security Council demands to suspend uranium enrichment activities and thus avert possible United Nations sanctions.

Iran defied the Security Council's August 31 deadline for it to stop uranium enrichment, which makes fuel for civilian nuclear power reactors but also, in highly refined form, the raw material for atomic weapons.

Iran insists its enrichment work is solely for peaceful purposes.

Although European powers have expressed some hope for a breakthrough, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remained defiant Wednesday in the face of Western pressure.

"They want to use suspension (of nuclear enrichment) for propaganda and tell the world that they forced Iran into accepting suspension," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

"They are making a mistake and the Iranian nation will not back down on its rights."

The negotiations were given a fresh chance after Washington, under pressure from Europe and China, backed down on its demand for immediate sanctions against Iran for failing to meet the August deadline.

The deal offered by the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany calls on Iran to accept a package of incentives in exchange for it halting enrichment.

The Washington Times reported Tuesday that the Islamic republic was close to agreeing a secret deal that would see it suspend enrichment for 90 days to allow it to hold further talks with European nations.

However there was confusion over whether Iran is considering such a step.

Mohammad Saeedi, the deputy head of Iran's atomic agency, cast doubt on the report.

"This kind of news will create a propaganda atmosphere and this false propaganda atmosphere will not help solve the issue," Saeedi said.

European diplomats said Larijani made an offer at his last talks with Solana on September 9-10 in Vienna, but several Iranian officials have denied any suspension is on the cards.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she had wished Solana luck ahead of the latest round of negotiations, but warned that Iran could not prolong the process of negotiations indefinitely.

"I just said clearly this will not go on very much longer," Rice said.

"Obviously, if we can come out of this with an Iranian decision to suspend its enrichment completely and verifiably, then we would be on a course for negotiations. That is the course we would all like to pursue."

According to European diplomats, Western powers have set the start of October as a final deadline for Iran to give its definitive response to the Security Council offer.