Iran Open to Nuclear Talks, Says Annan

Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, eased the pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme yesterday when he stopped short of condemning it for ignoring an international deadline to suspend uranium enrichment and appeared to accept a key part of its negotiating stance.

Speaking in Tehran at the end of a two-day visit, Mr Annan's comments contrasted with those of President George Bush, who demanded "consequences" after Iran missed last week's UN security council ultimatum. Mr Annan said that he understood the issue better after meeting senior Iranian officials, including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, and the foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki.

His comments followed an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report which confirmed that Iran had defied a UN resolution to freeze uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to make atomic bombs. The agency also said it had been unable to confirm Iran's claim that its nuclear programme was peaceful because of a lack of cooperation. The west believes the programme is designed to produce nuclear weapons.

But rather than rebuke Tehran, Mr Annan pointed to an assurance from Mr Ahmadinejad that Iran wanted compromise. "The president reaffirmed to me Iran's preparedness and determination to negotiate and find a solution to the crisis," Mr Annan told a press conference. He said Mr Ahmadinejad had told him that Iran "does not accept suspension [of uranium enrichment] before negotiations".

But he added: "Iran has said it is open for negotiations. All issues can be discussed at the negotiations."

That comment appeared to mirror Iran's position that the demand for suspension should be included in general negotiations and not set as a precondition.

Mr Annan's remarks came in the face of a US-led clamour for sanctions. They appeared destined to further slow the momentum after EU foreign ministers gave Tehran another two weeks to clarify its position and called for negotiations.

The security council is expected to meet soon to discuss a new resolution that could include punitive measures. But hard-hitting sanctions are unlikely because of the opposition of Russia and China, which have strong economic ties to Tehran.

Mr Annan also said he had secured Iran's support for the UN-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon. He said Iran had promised to work with the UN to help rebuild Lebanon's shattered infrastructure. But no mention was made of Tehran's relationship with Hizbullah, which it is generally accepted used weapons supplied by Iran.

In a pointed reproach, Mr Annan condemned a cartoon exhibition in Tehran satirising the Holocaust, which Mr Ahmadinejad last year described as a "myth".

"I think the tragedy of the Holocaust is a sad and an undeniable historical fact so we should really handle that, accept that fact and teach children what happened in world war two and ensure that it is never repeated," he said.

The exhibition was organised by Iran's biggest-selling newspaper, Hamshari, in retaliation for the publication of Danish cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed in European newspapers earlier this year.