Inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog were in Tehran on Thursday for talks on Iran's disputed nuclear programme, but there was no sign they would gain access to the Parchin military complex as requested. The Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) said "no plans were announced yet for inspectors to visit Iran's nuclear facilities or other sites", without giving a source. Thursday's talks are the first such meeting between the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran since August.

The meeting could give some indication whether Iran - which denies it wants to develop nuclear weapons - is more willing to address international concerns over its nuclear programme after US President Barack Obama's re-election last month. Israel has threatened military action if diplomacy and economic sanctions intended to halt Iran's uranium enrichment programme fail to resolve the longstanding dispute. ISNA said the seven-member IAEA delegation headed by Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts would meet Iranian nuclear officials. There was no word on whether talks had begun a few hours after the inspectors arrived in the Iranian capital.

Copyright Reuters, 2012