The UN atomic watchdog's board was expected Friday to approve a resolution of "deep and increasing concern" about Iran's nuclear activities in light of a damning new report from the Vienna-based body.
The resolution, tabled at the International Atomic Energy Agency by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, says it is "essential for Iran and the Agency to intensify their dialogue."
It calls on Tehran, which says its nuclear programme is peaceful, "to comply fully and without delay with its obligations under relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council."
It expresses "continuing support for a diplomatic solution, and calls on Iran to engage seriously and without preconditions in talks aimed at restoring international confidence."
But to assuage Chinese and Russian misgivings, it sets no deadline for Iran to respond, requesting instead IAEA head Yukiya Amano to report to the IAEA board in March on Tehran's "implementation of this resolution."
Amano said on Thursday he had written to Iran on November 2 proposing a "high-level" visit to Tehran, saying "clarifying all outstanding issues was in the interests of Iran, and other countries."
He told reporters: "The information we have received in the past three years has given us a clearer picture of Iran's nuclear programme. We now have more pieces of the jigsaw puzzle.
