ElBaradei urges faster Iran cooperation

By Parisa Hafezi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog called at talks in Tehran on Friday for swifter cooperation in resolving questions about its atomic programme, which the West fears will be used to produce atomic bombs.

"I discussed with (Iran's atomic energy chief) how we can work together to accelerate the pace of our cooperation to clarify all outstanding issues before my report in March," International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei said.

He said the talks -- rare high-level diplomacy in Tehran to help defuse Iran's stalemate with world powers over its disputed nuclear ambitions -- were "frank and friendly ... and I'm looking forward to an environment of accelerated cooperation".

"I asked Mr (Gholamreza) Aghazadeh to give us maximum transparency and provide assurances about all present nuclear activities," ElBaradei told reporters.

"If we are able to clarify past and current activities, it will provide an atmosphere to overcome the standoff between the P5+1 and Iran," he added, referring to the six world powers who sponsored U.N. sanctions to curb Iran's nuclear programme.

ElBaradei will meet Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili on Saturday, before returning to Vienna.

Aghazadeh said the IAEA could be assured of full cooperation and added: "Tomorrow during (ElBaradei's) meeting with the leader (Khamenei) there will be an extremely important exchange of information". He did not elaborate.

The Vienna-based IAEA has long sought to verify Iran's uranium enrichment programme is geared solely to producing civilian energy, not atomic bombs as Western powers suspect.