Iranian official hints at halting atomic work

By Parisa Hafezi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - An adviser to Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, suggested in remarks published on Wednesday that Tehran might consider suspending sensitive atomic work.

The comments are the latest in a series of conflicting signals from Iranian officials on whether Iran would halt uranium enrichment, which the West fears Tehran is using to build nuclear bombs. Iran insists its plans are peaceful.

President George W. Bush said on Wednesday he believed the United States and its allies were making progress towards solving their disputes with Iran over its nuclear programme peacefully but direct talks with Tehran were unlikely to be successful.

"If I thought we could achieve success, I would sit down (with the Iranians)," Bush told a news conference in Washington. "But I don't think we can achieve success right now."

"We are more likely to achieve our goals when others are involved as well."

In previous rounds of nuclear talks that collapsed, Iran said it was open to discussing suspension but would explain that it was an "illogical" step for Iran. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ruled out suspension in a speech on Sunday.

Ali Akbar Velayati, quoted by French daily Liberation, said Iran had accepted suspension in the past but the move had not helped to end the dispute.

"But if we continue to be in favour of a peaceful resolution of this problem, no idea should be unacceptable, not for us or for anyone else," he said. "We have only got one red line: respecting our right to nuclear energy, which is guaranteed in the (nuclear) Non-Proliferation Treaty."